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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Sugarbeet and Potato Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #212755
Title: Postharvest Storage Losses Associated with Rhizomania in Sugar Beet

Author
item Campbell, Larry
item Fugate, Karen
item SMITH, LARRY - UNIVERSITY OF MN

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/7/2007
Publication Date: 3/3/2008
Citation: Campbell, L.G., Klotz, K.L., Smith, L.J. 2008. Postharvest storage losses associated with rhizomania in sugar beet. Plant Disease. 92:575-580.

Interpretive Summary: During postharvest storage of sugar beet, respiration and rots consume sugar. Diseases that occur in the field can affect the magnitude of these losses. This research examines the storage of roots with rhizomania (a virus disease of sugarbeet) and the effectiveness of rhizomania-resistant hybrids in reducing postharvest losses. Roots of resistant hybrids from sites with rhizomania had 18 kg more sugar per ton than roots from susceptible hybrids 30 days after harvest and this difference increased to 55 kg Mg-1 120 days after harvest. In contrast, differences between susceptible and resistant hybrids in sugar loss in the absence of rhizomania were relatively small. Postharvest losses can be minimized by planting resistant hybrids and processing roots from fields with rhizomania as soon after harvest as possible.

Technical Abstract: During storage of sugar beet, respiration and rots consume sucrose and produce invert sugar. Diseases that occur in the field can affect the magnitude of these losses. This research examines the storage of roots with rhizomania (caused by Beet necrotic yellow vein virus) and the effectiveness of rhizomania-resistant hybrids in reducing postharvest losses. Roots of susceptible hybrids from sites with rhizomania had respiration rates 30 days after harvest (DAH) that ranged from 0.68 to 2.79 mg CO2 kg-1 h-1 higher than roots of the resistant hybrids. This difference ranged from 2.60 to 13.88 mg CO2 kg-1 h-1 120 DAH. Roots of resistant hybrids from sites with rhizomania had 18 kg more sucrose per ton than roots from susceptible hybrids 30 DAH and this difference increased to 55 kg Mg-1 120 DAH. The invert sugar concentration of susceptible hybrids from sites with rhizomania ranged from 8.38 to 286.72 g per 100 g sucrose higher than that for resistant hybrids 120 DAH. In contrast, differences between susceptible and resistant hybrids in respiration rate, sucrose loss, and invert sugar concentration in the absence of rhizomania were relatively small. Losses can be minimized by planting resistant hybrids and processing roots from fields with rhizomania soon after harvest.