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Submitted to: Annual Beet Sugar Development Foundation Research Report
Publication Type: Other Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2001 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Disease and pest problems are responsible for decreases in production of sugar from sugarbeet. To combat these problems, genetic engineering approaches were investigated to enhance resistance to diseases and pests in sugarbeet. This progress report summarizes work in which genes from other living organisms increased disease and pest resistance when transferred to plants. Progress was made in the development of improved technology for transfer of genes to sugarbeet and in the modification of candidate beneficial genes for their eventual transfer to sugarbeet. The progress described in this report will be of benefit to scientists and commercial companies interested in the improvement of sugarbeet for resistance to pests and diseases. Technical Abstract: Disease and pest problems, as well as, leveling off of increases in sugar content over the last two decades are largely responsible for lack of increased sugar production from sugarbeet. Sugarbeet and many other crops lack resistant germplasm against various bacterial, fungal and insect pests, necessitating the use of chemical pesticides. Genes from other living organisms have been identified and shown to enhance disease and pest tolerance when incorporated into other plants using biotechnological approaches. We have taken a number of these genes and modified them for incorporation into sugarbeet to target fungal and bacterial pathogens such as Cercospora beticola, Rhizoctonia solani and Erwinia caratovora. We are also using genes that are effective against the sugarbeet root maggot and virus-transmitting aphids. For this purpose, we are optimizing a method that was developed in this laboratory for introducing beneficial genes into sugarbeet. |
