雞西甜菜是一種兩年生草(cao)本植物,莖有(you)(you)1-2米高(gao),葉長(chang)5-20厘米,葉形(xing)(xing)(xing)多(duo)變(bian)異,有(you)(you)長(chang)圓形(xing)(xing)(xing),心臟(zang)形(xing)(xing)(xing)或(huo)舌形(xing)(xing)(xing),葉面有(you)(you)皺紋或(huo)平(ping)滑(hua);花(hua)小,綠色(se),每朵(duo)直徑僅3-5毫米,5瓣(ban),風媒。果(guo)實球(qiu)狀(zhuang)褐色(se),通常數個(ge)聯生成(cheng)球(qiu)果(guo);主(zhu)根為肉質塊根,有(you)(you)圓錐(zhui)形(xing)(xing)(xing),也有(you)(you)紡錘形(xing)(xing)(xing)和楔形(xing)(xing)(xing),皮有(you)(you)紅色(se)、紫色(se)、白(bai)色(se)、淺(qian)黃色(se)等不(bu)同的品(pin)種,喜涼爽(shuang)氣(qi)候,根中(zhong)含糖分,可以生產砂糖,但在(zai)高(gao)溫和潮濕地區生長(chang)的甜菜含糖量低(di)。
雞西(xi)(xi)甜(tian)(tian)(tian)菜(cai)產地主要位于黑(hei)龍江省(sheng)雞西(xi)(xi)市密光(guang)鎮。中(zhong)(zhong)國(guo)大(da)面(mian)積(ji)(ji)引種糖(tang)用甜(tian)(tian)(tian)菜(cai)始于1906年,先在(zai)東(dong)(dong)北(bei)(bei)試種,1908年建立第一座機制(zhi)甜(tian)(tian)(tian)菜(cai)糖(tang)廠(chang)后漸向(xiang)其他(ta)地區推廣。主產區在(zai)北(bei)(bei)緯40°以北(bei)(bei),包括(kuo)東(dong)(dong)北(bei)(bei)、華北(bei)(bei)、西(xi)(xi)北(bei)(bei)三個產區,其中(zhong)(zhong)東(dong)(dong)北(bei)(bei)種植最多,約(yue)占中(zhong)(zhong)國(guo)甜(tian)(tian)(tian)菜(cai)總面(mian)積(ji)(ji)的65%。這些地區都是春(chun)播甜(tian)(tian)(tian)菜(cai)區,無(wu)霜期短、積(ji)(ji)溫(wen)較(jiao)(jiao)少、日照(zhao)較(jiao)(jiao)長、晝(zhou)夜溫(wen)差較(jiao)(jiao)大(da),甜(tian)(tian)(tian)菜(cai)的單(dan)產和(he)含糖(tang)率(lv)高、病害(hai)輕。