Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #352049
Research Project: Development of Elite Sugar Beet Germplasm Enhanced for Disease Resistance and Novel Disease Management Options for Improved Yield

Location: Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research

Title: Kimberly sugar beet germplasm evaluated for rhizomania and storage rot resistance in Idaho, 2017

Author
item Eujayl, Imad
item Strausbaugh, Carl

Submitted to: Plant Disease Management Reports
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2018
Publication Date: 8/27/2018
Citation: Eujayl, I.A., Strausbaugh, C.A. 2018. Kimberly sugar beet germplasm evaluated for rhizomania and storage rot resistance in Idaho, 2017. Plant Disease Management Reports. 12:CF153.

Interpretive Summary: Preventing sucrose losses in storage is important to the economic viability of the sugar beet industry. Rhizomania, caused by Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV), is an important viral disease problem worldwide, leading to significant yield loss in both the field and storage. The primary means of controlling these problems is through host resistance. Thus, 14 germplasm lines from the USDA-ARS Kimberly sugar beet program and four check cultivars were screened to characterize them for both resistance to rhizomania and storability. Two lines had a level of resistance similar to the resistant checks based on both foliar and root ratings. Four other lines had good foliar and storage ratings. These data will aid the sugar beet industry in improving cultivar performance in the field and storage.

Technical Abstract: Rhizomania caused by Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) and storage losses are serious sugar beet production problems. To identify sugar beet germplasm lines with resistance to BNYVV and storage rots, 14 germplasm lines from the USDA-ARS Kimberly sugar beet program and four check cultivars were screened. The lines were grown in a sugar beet field infested with BNYVV during the 2017 growing season in a randomized complete block design with 6 replications. At harvest on 10 October 2017, roots were dug and evaluated for rhizomania symptoms and also placed in an indoor commercial sugar beet storage building. After 133 days in storage, samples were evaluated for the percentage of root surface area covered by fungal growth or rot. Rhizomania symptom development was uniform and other disease problems were not evident in the plot area. The BNYVV susceptible check had 98% foliar symptoms and a high root disease severity rating. The three resistant checks had 0 to 12% foliar symptoms and low root ratings. Based on root ratings, all entries had a level of resistance better than the susceptible check. However, KEMS43 and KD13/19-19 were the only entries with both root and foliar ratings not different from the resistant checks. Four additional entries (KEMS09-600, KEMS12/KPS24, KEMS06-600, and KEMS06) with both good foliar and storage ratings should be reevaluated for BNYVV resistance. These six entries just mentioned should also be considered as sources of storage rot resistance. These entries with superior performance will be released to the public and utilized in backcrossing breeding.