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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #400387
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 curly top resistance in USDA-ARS Kimberly germplasm, 2022

Author
item Eujayl, Imad
item Strausbaugh, Carl
item Galewski, Paul

Submitted to: Plant Disease Management Reports
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/20/2023
Publication Date: 3/15/2023
Citation: Eujayl, I.A., Strausbaugh, C.A., Galewski, P.J. 2023. Beet curly top resistance in USDA-ARS Kimberly germplasm, 2022. Plant Disease Management Reports. 17. Article V043.

Interpretive Summary: Curly top in the semiarid sugar beet production areas of the United States is caused by Beet curly top virus and vectored by the beet leafhopper. Resistant sugar beet cultivars became available in the 1930s prior to which curly top combined with drought almost eliminated the sugar beet industry in the western United States. However, resistance is typically low to intermediate in commercial cultivars and has a tendency to be associated with lower yield potential. Thus, novel sources of resistance need to be identified and incorporated into commercial cultivars. Eight sugar beet lines produced by the USDA-ARS Kimberly sugar beet program were screened for resistance to curly top. Based on the visual rating, five of the entries contain at least some minor resistance since their ratings were lower than the susceptible checks. However, only three entries (KDH13, KDH-39/KDH13, and KDH4-9) were not significantly different from the resistant check. These three entries and the two others with minor resistance will be retested and investigated further for potential release to the general public so they can be utilized to improve BCTV resistance in commercial sugar beet cultivars.

Technical Abstract: Curly top caused by Beet curly top virus (BCTV) is a widespread disease problem vectored by the beet leafhopper in semiarid sugar beet production areas. Host resistance is the primary defense against this problem, but resistance in commercial cultivars is only low to intermediate. In order to identify novel sources of curly top resistance, 8 sugar beet lines produced by the USDA-ARS Kimberly sugar beet program were screened in a disease nursery in 2022. The lines were arranged in a randomized complete block design with six replications. A curly top epiphytotic was created by releasing six viruliferous beet leafhoppers per plant at the four- to six-leaf growth stage on 15 Jun. Foliar symptoms were evaluated on 6 July using a scale of 0-9 (0 = healthy and 9 = dead). Curly top symptom development was uniform and no other disease problems were evident in the plot area. The disease pressure in the test was moderately severe with good symptom development in the susceptible checks. Based on the visual rating, five of the entries contain at least some minor resistance since their ratings were lower than the susceptible checks. However, only three entries (KDH13, KDH-39/KDH13, and KDH4-9) were not significantly different from the resistant check. These three entries and the two others with minor resistance will be retested and investigated further for potential release to the general public so they can be utilized to improve BCTV resistance in commercial sugar beet cultivars.