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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #363015
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: Ft. Collins sugar beet germplasm evaluated for rhizomania and storage rot resistance in Idaho, 2018

Author
item Strausbaugh, Carl
item Fenwick, Ann

Submitted to: Plant Disease Management Reports
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/17/2019
Publication Date: 8/29/2019
Citation: Strausbaugh, C.A., Fenwick, A.L. 2019. Ft. Collins sugar beet germplasm evaluated for rhizomania and storage rot resistance in Idaho, 2018. Plant Disease Management Reports. 13:CF114.

Interpretive Summary: Rhizomania, caused by Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV), is a serious viral disease problem worldwide, leading to significant yield loss in both the field and storage. Preventing rot and sucrose losses in storage is important to the economic viability of the sugar beet industry. The primary means of controlling these problems is through host resistance. Thus, 30 USDA-ARS Ft. Collins sugar beet lines and four check cultivars were evaluated for both resistance to BNYVV and storability. One entry, 20121018HO-119, performed well for all variables. This entry may serve as a starting point for identifying additional sources of resistance to BNYVV and storage rots, which will aid the sugar beet industry in improving sucrose yield and retention in commercial sugar beet cultivars.

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, 30 lines from the USDA-ARS Ft. Collins sugar beet program and four check cultivars were screened. The lines were grown in a sugar beet field infested with BNYVV during the 2018 growing season in a randomized complete block design with 6 replications. At harvest on 15 October 2018, roots were dug and evaluated for rhizomania symptoms and also placed in an indoor commercial sugar beet storage building. After 119 days in storage, samples were evaluated for the percentage of root surface area covered by fungal growth or rot. Rhizomania symptom development in the field was uniform and other disease problems were not evident in the plot area. The BNYVV susceptible check plots had 97% foliar symptoms and high root disease severity ratings. The three resistant checks had 0 to 6% foliar symptoms and low root ratings. Based on root ratings, three entries (4, 13, and 14) had resistance similar to the resistant checks. However, entry 13 (20121018HO-119) was the only entry that performed well for all variables. Entry 13 may serve as a starting point for identifying additional sources of resistance to BNYVV and storage rots.