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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Wooster, Ohio » Application Technology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #229762
Title: Verticillium dahliae Causes Wilt on Sugar Beet Following Potato in Eastern North Dakota

Author
item BRANTNER, JASON - UNIVERSITY OF MINN
item WINDELS, CAROL - UNIVERSITY OF MINN
item Omer, Medani

Submitted to: Plant Health Progress
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2008
Publication Date: 12/1/2008
Citation: Brantner, J., Windels, C., Omer, M.A. 2008. Verticillium dahliae Causes Wilt on Sugar Beet Following Potato in Eastern North Dakota. Plant Health Progress. DOI: 10.1094/PHP-2008-1212-01-BR.

Interpretive Summary: Wilt is a serious disease on sugar beet that decreases content and purity of sugar, but does not significantly decrease root yield. The disease is typically reported as caused by the microorganism Verticillium albo-atrum. The disease has not been previously reported on sugar beet in the Red River Valley (RRV) of Minnesota and North Dakota. In this study we surveyed sugar beet plants in four fields in eastern North Dakota and found them to exhibit typical symptoms of Verticillium wilt. The pathogen was isolated from infected tissues and was identified as Verticillium dahliae and not Verticillium albo-atrum. Moreover, analysis of Verticillium dahliae population from sugar beet in the RRV were found to belong to group 4A, a more aggressive group of Verticillium dahliae that has also been reported to cause wilt on potato in the region. Since potatoes were grown the previous years in these fields we conclude that potatoes likely contributed to production of the disease. Thus, when Verticillium wilt occurs in sugar beet fields, close rotation with potato should be avoided.

Technical Abstract: Wilt is a serious disease on sugar beet that decreases content and purity of sugar, but does not significantly decrease root yield. The disease is typically reported as caused by the microorganism Verticillium albo-atrum. The disease has not been previously reported on sugar beet in the Red River Valley (RRV) of Minnesota and North Dakota. In this study we surveyed sugar beet plants in four fields in eastern North Dakota and found them to exhibit typical symptoms of Verticillium wilt. The pathogen was isolated from infected tissues and was identified as Verticillium dahliae and not Verticillium albo-atrum. Moreover, analysis of verticillium dahliae population from sugar beet in the RRV were found to belong to group 4A, a more aggressive group of Verticillium dahliae that was also been reported to cause wilt on potato in the region. Since potatoes were grown the previous years in these fields we conclude that potatoes likely contributed to production of the disease. Thus when Verticillium wilt occurs in sugar beet fields, close rotation with potato should be avoided.