ARS | Publication request: Release of EL55 Sugarbeet Germplasm with Enhanced Seed Storage Viability

Submitted to: Annual Beet Sugar Development Foundation Research Report
Publication Type: Research Notes
Publication Acceptance Date: May 15, 2009
Publication Date: June 1, 2009
Citation: McGrath, J.M. 2009. Release of EL55 Sugarbeet Germplasm with Enhanced Seed Storage Viability CD-ROM]. 2009 Annual Beet Sugar Development Foundation Research Report. Denver, Colorado: Beet Sugar Development Foundation.

Technical Abstract: EL55 (PI 655304) is a sugarbeet germplasm derived from seed held in sub-optimal storage conditions at East Lansing for 20+ years. EL55 is being released in the interest of improving seed quality and performance in sugar beet. From over 4,000 legacy seedlots produced between 1961 and 1989 stored in ambient (high humidity) conditions, only 523 emerged under field conditions at the Saginaw Valley Bean and Beet Farm in Saginaw, MI, in 2000. Only 71 of these stored seedlots gave commercially adequate stands (ca. 50% of planted seed), however each of these good seedlots was produced after 1988. Roots from the 12 oldest seedlots (i.e. those stored the longest) were collected as mother roots, and seed was produced. Using an accelerated seed aging protocol, this seed demonstrated slightly improved seed longevity. The majority of this germplasm is derived from remnant seed generated during development of seed parents in the germplasm conversion to hybrid seed production. Thus, this material is also expected to be useful for developing cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) parents for hybrid seed production. Reasonable to high levels of Aphanomyces blackleg and Cercospora leaf spot resistances can be expected in this material, as is customary of traditional East Lansing ARS germplasm.