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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #304929
Title: Ft. Collins sugar beet germplasm evaluated for rhizomania and storage rot resistance in Idaho, 2013

Author
item Strausbaugh, Carl
item Panella, Leonard

Submitted to: Plant Disease Management Reports
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/16/2014
Publication Date: 8/12/2014
Citation: Strausbaugh, C.A., Panella, L.W. 2014. Ft. Collins sugar beet germplasm evaluated for rhizomania and storage rot resistance in Idaho, 2013. Plant Disease Management Reports. 8:FC247.

Interpretive Summary: Rhizomania caused by the Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) is a worldwide problem that can lead to loss of tonnage and lower percent sucrose. BNYVV can also reduce the storability of roots. Thus identifying sugar beet germplasm and cultivars with resistance to BNYVV and good storability is the primary management option. In this study, germplasm developed by the USDA-ARS Ft. Collins sugar beet program was screened for resistance to both BNYVV and fungal rot in storage. Many of the germplasm entries exhibited some level of resistance to both problems, but entries 28, 30, and 33 performed similar to the BNYVV resistant checks and were also among the top entries for storage. The top performing lines will be investigated further and may serve as new sources of resistance to help manage BNYVV and reduce storage losses in sugar beet roots.

Technical Abstract: Rhizomania caused by the Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) is a worldwide problem that can lead to loss of tonnage and lower percent sucrose in the field. BNYVV can also reduce the storability of roots. To identify germplasm with resistance to these problems, 50 sugar beet germplasm lines developed by the USDA-ARS Ft. Collins sugar beet program and four check cultivars were screened in a field experiment arranged in a randomized complete block design with six replications. During the growing season, plants were evaluated for foliar rhizomania symptoms. At harvest on 7 October 2013, roots were evaluated for rhizomania symptoms and then placed into an indoor commercial sugar beet storage building in Paul, ID. Foliar symptoms ranged from 0% for resistant entries and checks to 98% for the susceptible entries, indicating good separation of germplasm for BNYVV resistance should have been possible in the field study. BNYVV root ratings ranged from a low of 16 for a resistant entry to a high of 33 for one of the susceptible entries at harvest. Fungal growth on the root surface in storage ranged from a low of 1% for an entry with good storability to a high of 70% for the BNYVV susceptible check. Entries 28, 30, and 33 performed well for all variables. Incorporating better resistance to BNYVV and good storability into commercial sugar beet cultivars should allow for increased yields in the field and improved recovery of sucrose from roots in storage.