Methods for analyzing plant material, for determining plant material components and for detecting plant diseases in plant material

A method for generating calibration data for the determination of components in sugar beets for sugar production, the method comprising:

• taking a sample of sugar beets and moving the sample along a sensor that is adapted to receive electromagnetic waves;
• performing spectroscopic analysis of the sample by continuously emitting electromagnetic waves towards the sample, receiving electromagnetic waves, and converting the received electromagnetic waves into a spectral signal;
• producing a sugar beet pulp from the sample and extracting the sugar beet pulp by one or more of Aluminium sulfate, lead acetate solution, water, or a combination thereof;
• performing reference analysis of the extracted sugar beet pulp by conducting measurements comprising one or more of polarimetry, flame photometry, fluorometric o-phthalaldehyde (OPA) method, copper method, immobilized enzyme biosensor method, oven method, or a combination thereof;
• and
• comparing the results of the spectroscopic analysis with the results of the reference analysis.

An arrangement for determining components in sugar beets for sugar production, the arrangement comprising:

• a receiving section configured to receive a plurality of sugar beets including a production portion of sugar beets for sugar production and an analysis portion of sugar beets for component analysis and for sugar production;
• a chopping device configured to cut the analysis portion into substantially equal sized sugar beet pieces;
• a transport device configured to convey the analysis portion and the production portion;
• an analysis assembly configured to emit electromagnetic waves towards the analysis portion that is arranged on the transport device, and to convert the received electromagnetic waves into a spectral signal;
• a production device configured to produce a product from the analysis portion and from the production portion;
• and
• a control unit configured to:
• receive the spectral signal from the analysis assembly;
• process the received spectral signal to determine components in the analysis portion;
• and
• adjust in real-time at least one sugar production parameter based on the determined components in the analysis portion,
• wherein the at least one sugar production parameter comprises one or more of electric field pulses, pulse numbers, a process temperature, a conveying speed, a duration of the production portion in reactor, application of milk of lime and CO2 in raw juice purification, and/or adjustment of processes of liming, carbonation, sludge separation and sulphitation in juice purification, a drying time, a drying temperature, or a combination thereof.