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Article climate Sugar Beet Harvests under Modern Climatic Conditions in the Belgorod Region (Southwest Russia) MDPI Maria G. Lebedeva 1, Anthony R. Lupo 2,3,*, Alexandr B. Solovyov 4, Yury G. Chendev 4 and Lalith M. Rankoth 2 D 1 2 3 4 * Department of Geography and Geoecology, Belgorod State University, Belgorod 308015, Russia; [email protected] School of Natural Resources, Atmospheric Sciences Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; [email protected] Missouri Climate Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA Department of Natural Resources Management and Land Cadastre, Belgorod State University, Belgorod 308015, Russia; [email protected] (A.B.S.); [email protected] (Y.G.C.) Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +1-573-489-8457 Received: 12 February 2020; Accepted: 18 March 2020; Published: 20 March 2020 check for updates Abstract: The weather and climate conditions contributing to the energy and water availability during the sugar beet vegetation period within the Belgorod Region were studied. It was found that the sugar beet yield in the region currently depends on the climate at the 15% level. The variability and trends of sugar beet yields and sugar content dynamics correlated with that of the observed during a 60-year period are determined using statistical techniques such as correlation, and regression and time series analysis. The variation for the sugar content (or "sugariness") over this period as related to the regional weather and climate showed a nonlinear relationship. The sugar content is related inversely to the combined (via the Hydrothermal Coefficient-HTC) influence of precipitation and temperature during the warm season (temperatures between 15 and 20 °C). A decrease (increase) in HTC contributes to an increase (decrease) in the beet sugar content. However, it was noted that during sugar content increases, there is a decrease in the regional sugar beet yield. We can conclude that the increased sugar content of beet in relevant years compensates for the decrease in the yield parameter. Finally, there was a correlation between the regional variability in the sugar content of beets with Bruckner solar cycles and atmospheric teleconnections in that during warm and dry periods, the sugar content increases, and for cold and wet periods is reduced. Keywords: sugar beet; water availability; heat availability; hydrothermal coefficient; bioclimatic potential; sugar content; yield 1. Introduction The study of crop yield and agro-climatic potential and the agriculture and crop production outcome is of great interest to the agricultural communities in regions that economically depend on agricultural production. It is known that the processes contributing to crop growth and yield formation are dependent on many factors. The major factors are: the influx of solar radiation and the degree to which it is absorbed upon sowing, moisture, heat, soil fertility, the level of agricultural technology, and the variety and characteristics of plants. Knowledge of the specific degree to which these individual factors contribute, the choice of the most significant of these factors, and the quantitative expression or description of their relationship with the harvest, all contribute to the successful and practically significant analysis of the complex processes occurring in agrocenoses (e.g., [1-3]). Climate 2020, 8, 46; doi:10.3390/cli8030046 www.mdpi.com/journal/climate

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