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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #379403
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: Beet leafhopper populations and beet curly top virus strains in southern Idaho

Author
item Strausbaugh, Carl
item WENNINGER, ERIK - University Of Idaho

Submitted to: Journal of Sugar Beet Research
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/4/2021
Publication Date: 12/13/2021
Citation: Strausbaugh, C.A., Wenninger, E.J. 2021. Beet leafhopper populations and beet curly top virus strains in southern Idaho. Journal of Sugar Beet Research. 58(1&2):69.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Curly top caused by Beet curly top virus (BCTV) is a widespread disease problem vectored by the beet leafhopper (BLH; Circulifer tenellus Baker) in semiarid sugar beet production areas. Host resistance is the primary defense against curly top, but resistance in commercial cultivars is only low to intermediate perhaps in part because strain-specific host resistance may not match strain prevalence in the field. Thus, an investigation was initiated into the distribution and abundance of BLH over time and the BCTV strain types present in the insects. Using yellow sticky cards (4 x 5 inch), BLH numbers were assessed in 8 counties in southern Idaho twice a month from May through September in 2019. Subsamples of BLH (samples contained from 1-5 BLH) were collected and investigated for biotype (sequencing cytochrome oxidase gene; COI), BCTV strains, and phytoplasmas. The BLH populations at desert and sugar beet sites in all counties peaked in late July and early August in 2019. Cards at dry bean sites tended to peak when the crop was cut and dried for harvest in August and September. BCTV was found in 51% of the BLH samples with the following strain mix: 11% of samples had CA/Logan, 6% Severe, and 70% Wor-like (either Worland and/or Colorado strains). The Wor-like samples were evenly distributed since 37, 33, and 30% of the samples came from dry bean, sugar beet, and desert sites, respectively. These BCTV strain results mirror what was found in sugar beet plants in recent years. Based on COI sequencing, the BLH population was dominated by two haplotypes. No phytoplasmas were detected. The BLH survey will be conducted again in 2020 and 2021 while doubling sampling frequency and reducing the number of sites to four.