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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Raleigh, North Carolina » Soybean and Nitrogen Fixation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #200773
Title: INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING LEAF SPOT DISEASE RESISTANCE IN SUGAR BEET

Author
item Upchurch, Robert
item Kuykendall, Larry

Submitted to: American Phytopathology Society
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/4/2008
Publication Date: 3/3/2010
Citation: Upchurch, R.G. and Kuykendall, L.D. 2010. Innovative strategies for improving leaf spot disease resistance in sugar beet. In: Lartey, R.T, Weiland, J.H., Panella, L., Crous, P.W., Windels, C.E., editors. Cercospora leaf spot of sugar beet and related species. St. Paul, MN: APS Press. p. 173-179.

Interpretive Summary: Leafspot caused by the fungal pathogen Cercospora beticola is the major disease of sugar beet production in most U.S. growing areas and the world. Since conventional plant breeding has thus far produced only moderate leafspot resistance, we are pursuing a biotechnological approach to enhance resistance. The cercosporin toxin export gene, CFP, from the soybean fungal pathogen, Cercospora kikuchii encodes toxin resistance in that organism. CFP has been stably expressed in sugar beet. Previously, it had been shown that expression of CFP in tobacco resulted in moderate resistance to Cercospora infection. CFP+ sugar beet transgenic progeny are being analyzed for leafspot resistance at the USDA-ARS Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory, Beltsville, MD.

Technical Abstract: Leafspot disease caused by Cercospora beticola is a serious problem for sugar beet production in most U.S. growing areas and the world. Since conventional plant breeding has thus far produced only moderate leafspot resistance, we are pursuing a biotechnological approach to enhance resistance. The cercosporin toxin export gene, CFP, from Cercospora kikuchii was expressed in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) clone REL-1 by Rhizobium radiobacter (formerly Agrobacterium tumefaciens)-mediated transformation. Stability of the CFP gene insertion was verified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Southern blotting. Both CFP transcript accumulation and CFP protein were demonstrated in the leaves of CFP+ transgenic line PT7#12. The project became a collaborative effort with the addition of the USDA-ARS Sugar Beet Research Unit, Fort Collins, CO for the evaluation of the Cercospora leafspot resistance. There, line PT7#12 was crossed with two agronomically elite genotypes with pyramided resistances, C842 and 9933. CFP+ progeny from these crosses are being analyzed for leafspot resistance at the USDA-ARS Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory, Beltsville, MD.