ARS | Publication request: Seedling disease resistance screening assays

Submitted to: Journal of Sugarbeet Research
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: January 15, 2009
Publication Date: February 24, 2009
Citation: Hanson, L.E., McGrath, J.M. 2009. Seedling disease resistance screening assays. Journal of Sugarbeet Research. 46:99-100.

Technical Abstract: A number of pathogens can cause early season stand loss in sugar beet. Fungi such as Rhizoctonia solani AG-2-2 and AG-4 and Fusarium oxysporum are able to cause post-emergence damping-off in sugar beet. Recent work has identified some sugar beet germplasms which show reduced damage from isolates of Rhizoctonia solani AG-2-2 IIIB at early growth stages compared with the majority of beet germplasm tested. These and other USDA-ARS germplasm are being screened for response to additional isolates of AG-2-2 IIIB as well as AG-2-2 IV originally collected from both seedling damping-off and mature plant crown and root rot samples. Testing for response to F. oxysporum also showed evidence for differences in the level of susceptibility to damping-off in different germplasm. Testing of plants at different ages and growth conditions may be useful to determine optimal conditions for plant screening and allow for identification of germplasm with improved resistance to early season losses.