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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #317339
Title: Evaluation of fungicide and biological treatments for control of fungal storage rots in sugar beet, 2014

Author
item Strausbaugh, Carl
item OLSEN, NORA - University Of Idaho
item FRAZIER, MARY JO - University Of Idaho
item WAMBOLT, CAROL - Amalgamated Research Inc

Submitted to: Plant Disease Management Reports
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/7/2015
Publication Date: 8/1/2015
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/61227
Citation: Strausbaugh, C.A., Olsen, N., Frazier, M., Wambolt, C. 2015. Evaluation of fungicide and biological treatments for control of fungal storage rots in sugar beet, 2014. Plant Disease Management Reports. 9:FC122.

Interpretive Summary: Preventing sucrose losses in storage is important to the economic viability of the sugar beet industry. The primary means of controlling sucrose losses in storage is through physical control measures (stripping piles, ventilation, tarping, etc.), but losses are still high at times. Thus, in an effort to establish additional control measures, fungicide and biological treatments were evaluated for their ability to limit fungal growth on sugar beet roots in a commercial sugar beet storage building. Several fungicide treatments (Phostrol, Propulse, and Stadium) were able to significantly reduce rot and sucrose loss. Thus, the results indicate that several of the fungicides evaluated have the potential to protect roots from fungal rot in sugar beet storage piles, which could lead to considerable economic benefit for the sugar beet industry.

Technical Abstract: Preventing sucrose losses in storage is important to the economic viability of the sugar beet industry. In an effort to establish additional measures for reducing sucrose losses in storage, ten fungicide and/or biological treatments were evaluated on sugar beet roots in a commercial sugar beet storage building for their ability to limit fungal growth on roots harvested 2 Oct. Six of the treatments were applied as a direct spray to roots, but two treatments were applied as a cold fog and two others were applied as a thermal fog. The treated eight-beet root samples were arranged in a randomized complete block design with 6 replications on top of the commercial sugar beet pile inside a storage building. Roots were evaluated for fungal growth, root rot, weight loss, and sucrose reduction. Fungal growth on the root surface ranged from 0 to 58% depending on the rating date and treatment. After 136 days in storage, root rot ranged from 4 to 34%, weight loss ranged from 7.5 to 10.2%, and sucrose reduction ranged from 17 to 33%. The treatments that reduced rot and sucrose reduction the most were Phostrol, Propulse, and Stadium applied as direct sprays and Propulse as a cold fog. Thus, the results indicate that several of the fungicides evaluated have the potential to protect roots from fungal rot in sugar beet storage piles, which could lead to considerable economic benefit for the sugar beet industry.