OUTSTANDING QUALITIES

• EARLY TO MID-MATURING, YELLOW NOVELTY BEETROOT
• WIDELY ADAPTED – ALL YEAR ROUND PRODUCTION
• VIBRANT GOLDEN YELLOW INTERNAL ROOT COLOUR
• HIGH QUALITY ROOTS WITH A SWEET TASTE

Touchstone Gold is an early to medium maturing yellow specialty beetroot.  Touchstone Gold has vibrant yellow to golden, smooth, globe shaped roots with small crowns and taproots.  In addition, the roots have very little to no internal zoning and a sweet taste.  Touchstone Gold can be roasted, cooked and due to its sweet and delicious taste it is ideal to consume raw in fresh salads or as garnish.  The yellow pigment does not stain and the root retains its beautiful yellow colour when cooked.  Touchstone Gold has a strong, erect, light green foliage with light yellow petioles that has a sweet taste which could also be used in salads.  Touchstone Gold has intermediate resistance to Cercospora leaf spot/Cb (Cercospora beticola).

SPECIAL VARIETAL REQUIREMENTS

• Sakata do not recommend sowing during April, May and June in areas prone to heavy frost.
• Contact a Sakata area representative for a beetroot sowing guide.

DESCRIPTION

VARIETY NAME: Touchstone Gold
KIND: Garden beet selection (Beta vulgaris L. subsp. vulgaris var. conditiva Alef.)
SOWING SEASON: All year round
MATURITY: Early to medium. Warm season: 70 – 85 days from sowing. Cool season: 90 – 105 days from sowing. Note: maturity depends on sowing date, production location and seasonal variations
ROOT DIMENSIONS: Small to medium (25mm – 55mm). Root size is influenced by the plant population
ROOT SHAPE: Globe
ROOT UNIFORMITY (SHAPE AND SIZE): Excellent
EXTERNAL ROOT/SKIN COLOUR: Orange to gold
INTERIOR ROOT/FLESH COLOUR: Golden yellow
INTERNAL ZONING: Very faint, little to none
ROOT SKIN SMOOTHNESS: Smooth
ROOT TASTE/BRIX (SUGAR CONTENT):Sweet, medium to high (10 – 11%)
TAPROOT APPEARANCE: Short, small and neat
TOP/FOLIAGE HEIGHT: Medium tall,  30 – 35cm
LEAF/FOLIAGE HEALTH AND HABIT: Erect/upright
LEAF/FOLIAGE COLOUR AND GLOSS:Light green with light yellow petioles
PERCENTAGE LEAF PURPLING:Not applicable
CROWN SIZE: Small
LEAF ATTACHMENT (SIZE AND STRENGTH): Medium and weak to average
BOLTING REACTION: Very slow to bolt – high tolerance
DISEASE RESISTANCE (SCIENTIFIC):  Intermediate resistance: Cercospora beticola (Cb)
SUGGESTED SOWING DENSITY: Density depends on the season, sprout count, size requirement of the roots and the target market/uses of the final product, however we suggest: Pre-pack beetroot: 350 000 – 550 000 seeds per hectare. Baby beetroot: 900 000 – 1 200 000 seed per hectare
MARKET USES: Baby beetroot, bunched and pre-pack
SPECIAL FEATURES, BENEFITS AND REMARKS: Excellent yellow beetroot variety adapted for all year round production. Excellent colour and taste suitable for raw consumption in fresh salads or as garnish.