Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Sugarbeet and Potato Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #136037
Title: IMPACT OF ROOT DISEASES ON POST-HARVEST STORAGE.

Author
item Campbell, Larry
item Fugate, Karen

Submitted to: Journal of Sugarbeet Research
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/3/2003
Publication Date: 2/10/2003
Citation: CAMPBELL, L.G., KLOTZ, K.L. IMPACT OF ROOT DISEASES ON POST-HARVEST STORAGE.. Abstracts of Joint Meeting of International Insitute for Beet Research and the American Society of Sugar Beet Technologists. 2003. Abstract p. 59.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: In recent years, sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.) root diseases have become more prevalent throughout Minnesota and eastern North Dakota. Any increase in root rots in the field will be accompanied by an increase in the proportion of roots with rot that are placed in storage piles. Information on the effects of root-rot severity on initial quality and storability would assist growers and agriculturalists when determining the disease severity that would justify not harvesting a field or if roots from diseased fields should be segregated and processed first. Respiration rates of roots with moderate or severe Aphanomyces (caused by Aphanomyces cochlioides Drechal.) were substantially higher than respiration rates of healthy roots. The higher respiration rates are not only indicative of higher sugar loss but would increase storage pile temperatures and increase sugar losses of adjacent healthy roots. The formation of carbohydrate impurities during post-harvest storage was examined. Concentrations of the invert sugars, glucose and fructose, were elevated in severely rotted roots. Invert sugar concentrations, however, changed little during storage regardless of disease severity. Trisaccharide impurities declined during storage in both healthy and diseased roots and were lower in diseased roots. Raffinose was the major trisaccharide, although 1-kestose and 6-kestose also were detected in severely rotted roots. Neither Rhizomania (Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus) nor Aphanomyces resistance appeared to be associated with higher respiration rates, in the absence of the disease.