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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #209582
Title: Sugar beet storability and the influence of beet necrotic yellow vein virus

Author
item Strausbaugh, Carl
item REARICK, EUGENE - AMALGAMATED RESEARCH INC.
item CAMP, STACEY - AMALGAMATED SUGAR CO
item GALLIAN, JOHN - UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO
item DYER, ALAN - MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: American Phytopathology Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2007
Publication Date: 7/28/2007
Citation: Strausbaugh, C.A., Rearick, E., Camp, S., Gallian, J.J., Dyer, A.T. 2007. Sugar beet storability and the influence of beet necrotic yellow vein virus. American Phytopathology Society. 97:S111.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Rhizomania in sugar beets caused by Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) and storage losses are serious problems in sugar beet production. Storage issues associated with outdoor piles may be exacerbated by disease problems such as rhizomania. To investigate the influence of BNYVV on storability, six sugar beet cultivars varying for resistance to BNYVV were grown in fields in southern Idaho with and without BNYVV infested soil. At harvest, 8-beet samples from each cultivar were collected and placed in an outdoor pile as a randomized complete block design with 4 reps in Twin Falls, ID. Samples were removed on 40-day intervals from Nov 1, 2005 to Feb 28, 2006. Along with sugar content, frozen and discolored root area and root weight were also monitored. After 134 days in storage, sugar reduction across cultivars ranged from 6-20% without and 36-89% with BNYVV. The Dec and Jan samples had 14-20% more frozen and 18-52% more discolored root area when subjected to BNYVV but weight loss varied. These data show that sugar loss without disease can be important but this difference is magnified in beets with rhizomania resulting in considerable financial loss. Cultivar choice will potentially be important in reducing sugar loss with outside storage, but will be more important in areas with rhizomania disease pressure.