Economic improvement of sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris) field production and processing can be enhanced if traditional architecture of the sugarbeet is modified to a smooth root (SR) beet. Root shape of sugarbeet is a multigenic character and several generations of breeding are needed to reach any degree of homozygosity. In recent years conical-shaped SR beets have been developed in the eastern U.S. and in the Netherlands globe-shaped beets have been deveioped by crossing table beet with sugarbeet foll owed by phenotypic recurrent selection. SR beets tend to have fewer fibrous rootlets near the soil surface than traditional grooved-root beets but rootlets still proliferate mainly along two vertical planes. SR testcross progenies have shown less taproot tip breakage than a commercial hybrid cultivar. Root yield of current SR genotypes and experimental hybrids has been equal or superior to that of commercial cultivars, but sucrose content has been 1-3 percentage points less. Soil tare for SR genotypes has ranged from 30070 to 70070 less than for current commercial cultivars with traditional architecture. Globe-shaped beets have lower soil tare than conical-shaped SR beets. However, SR beets bred with conical-shape are more desirable than globe-shaped roots for harvesting by current sugarbeet equipment, because globe-shaped beets grow more out of the soil, often are dislodged from the row when tops are flailed, and may not be picked up by the harvester.