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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Salinas, California » Crop Improvement and Protection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #182781

Title: THE CONTINUING SAGA OF RHIZOMANIA OF SUGAR BEETS IN THE UNITED STATES

Author
item RUSH, CHARLES - TEXAS A&M UNIV.,AMARILLO
item Liu, Hsing Yeh
item Lewellen, Robert
item ACOSTA-LEAL, R. - TEXAS A&M UNIV.,AMARILLO

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/15/2005
Publication Date: 1/1/2006
Citation: Rush, C.M., Liu, H., Lewellen, R.T., Acosta-Leal, R. 2006. The continuing saga of rhizomania of sugar beets in the United States. Plant Disease 90(1). pp. 4-15.

Interpretive Summary: Rhizomania caused by Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) is the most important soil-borne virus disease of sugar beet worldwide. Since 1984 when discovered, the gene Rz1 has provided a high level of resistance. In 2002 in the Imperial Valley of California, cultivars with Rz1 resistance began to show severe symptoms of rhizomania. In subsequent years, these resistance breaking isolates occurred in additional fields and threaten to completely defeat the Rz1 resistance. This feature article in PLANT DISEASE on these resistance breaking strains in sugar beet combines a summation of the rhizomania disease and published research up to present. It also reports new research findings on the virology of the resistance breaking strains, the search for new sources of resistance within Beta vulgaris germplasm resources, the national distribution of these strains, and their relationship to the phenomenon of "blinkers" in sugar beet fields with resistant cultivars. This paper also discusses the prospects and research underway to manage this continuing threat to the US sugar beet industry.

Technical Abstract: N/A