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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #254830
Title: Evaluation of root fungicides as root dips for the control of root rot in storage, 2009

Author
item NEHER, OLIVER - University Of Idaho
item Strausbaugh, Carl

Submitted to: Plant Disease Management Reports
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/15/2010
Publication Date: 8/23/2010
Citation: Neher, O.T., and Strausbaugh, C.A. 2010. Evaluation of fungicides as root dips for the control of root rot in storage, 2009. Plant Disease Management Reports (online). Report 4:FC075 DOI:10.1094/PDMR04. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN. Available: http://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/pub/trial/pdmr/reports/2010/FC075.pdf

Interpretive Summary: Sugar beet roots held in long term storage at above freezing temperatures are subject to fungal root rots. These storage root rots can lead to considerable sucrose losses in storage and adversely affect factory processing as well. The use of fungicide treatments applied as root dips prior to storage were investigated to determine if they could reduce storage rots caused by Botrytis sp., Penicillium sp., and Athelia sp. In comparison to the non-treated check, all fungicide treatments were effective in reducing the development of Botrytis sp. and Athelia sp. with USF2019A ranking first. There was very little Penicillium growth on the roots and subsequently no differences between treatments could be established. These data will aid the sugar beet industry in improving the storage of sugar beet roots.

Technical Abstract: Root rot in storage can lead to considerable sucrose losses in storage and adversely affect factory processing as well. The use of fungicide treatments applied to the root surface prior to storage were investigated to determine if they could reduce storage rots caused by Botrytis sp., Penicillium sp., and Athelia sp. Roots of the sugar beet cultivar B-5 were produced using standard cultural practices. At harvest eight roots were placed in a mesh onion bags to establish experimental units. The study included nine fungicide treatments (applied as a root dip) and a non-treated check arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Roots were then placed on top of an indoor commercial sugar beet pile and evaluated four times for root rot throughout the 120 day storage period. Area under the disease progress curve data showed an average reduction of 92% for Botrytis sp. and 71% for Athelia sp. for all treatments in comparison to the non-treated check. There was very little Penicillium growth on the roots and subsequently no differences between treatments. These data will aid the sugar beet industry in improving the storage of sugar beet roots.