ARS | Publication request: Experimental sugar beet cultivars evaluated for rhizomania resistance and storability in Idaho, 2009

Submitted to: Plant Disease Management Reports
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: June 15, 2010
Publication Date: August 23, 2010
Citation: Strausbaugh, C.A., Eujayl, I.A., Rearick, E., and Foote, P. 2010. Experimental sugar beet cultivars evaluated for rhizomania resistance and storability in Idaho, 2009. Plant Disease Management Reports online). Report 4:FC069 DOI:10.1094/PDMR04. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN.

Interpretive Summary: Preventing sucrose losses in storage is important to the economic viability of the sugar beet industry. Rhizomania, caused by Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV), is an important viral disease problem worldwide, leading to significant yield loss in the field but also in storage. The primary means of controlling this disease is through host resistance. Thus, experimental sugar beet cultivars were screened to characterize them for both resistance to rhizomania and storability. All experimental cultivars except one had acceptable levels of rhizomania resistance. Sucrose reduction in storage ranged from 23 to 57%, indicating there is considerable room for improving storability with most cultivars. These data will aid the sugar beet industry in improving cultivar performance in the field and storage.

Technical Abstract: Rhizomania caused by Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) and storage losses are serious sugar beet production problems. To identify sugar beet cultivars with resistance to BNYVV and evaluate storability, 39 experimental cultivars and five commercial check cultivars were screened by growing them in a commercial sugar beet field naturally infested with BNYVV in Declo, ID during the 2009 growing season in a randomized complete block design with 4 replications. At harvest on 13 October 2009, roots were dug and evaluated for symptoms of rhizomania and also placed in an indoor commercial sugar beet storage building. Storage samples were evaluated for fungal growth known to correlate with sucrose loss. Depending on cultivar, surface fungal growth ranged from 4 to 30% by 18 February 2010. Overall, the experimental cultivars had an average sucrose reduction of 34% after 131 days in storage. Improving cultivar performance for resistance to sucrose loss in storage and rhizomania has the potential to lead to considerable economic benefit to the sugar beet industry.