Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » East Lansing, Michigan » Sugarbeet and Bean Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #196326
Title: SUGAR BEET ACTIVITIES OF THE USDA-ARS EAST LANSING CONDUCTED IN COOPERATION WITH SAGINAW VALLEY BEAN AND BEET FARM DURING 2005

Author
item McGrath, Jon

Submitted to: Annual Beet Sugar Development Foundation Research Report
Publication Type: Research Notes
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2006
Publication Date: 7/1/2006
Citation: McGrath, J.M. 2006. Sugar beet activities of the USDA-ARS East Lansing conducted in cooperation with Saginaw Valley Bean and Beet Farm during 2005. 2005 Annual Beet Sugar Development Foundation Research Report. p. D3-D6.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Evaluation plots were planted at the Saginaw Valley Bean and Beet Research Farm (Saginaw, Michigan) in 2005; two agronomic trials, one observation trial, and two disease nursery trials. All seed planted was untreated to maximize stand and seedling vigor traits inherent in the breeding of germplasm. One test was conducted to evaluate first and second generation germplasm enhancement populations derived from field increases of high sucrose, smooth-root materials (SR96 & SR97) inter-pollinated with EL0204 with high yield and rhizomania resistance. These lines were very competitive with commercial check varieties in 2005, with slightly less sucrose percentages but excellent yields. Water content was evaluated in these populations for the second year of testing, and it was interesting that the commercial checks again had a small but significantly lower water content than the test entries. Seedling vigor and stand establishment of Cytoplasmic Male Sterility (CMS) and maintainer lines was very low, confirming these traits need to be selected in seed parent germplasm. Disease nurseries were planted late in order to favor conditions favorable for Aphanomyces seedling disease, however severe soil crusting reduced population sizes dramatically. 440 inbred lines, most at the S3 to S5 stage of inbreeding, were examined for seedling vigor, stand establishment, and root conformation. Vigor was unexpectedly good since beets show inbreeding depression.