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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Crop Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #231050
Title: Evaluations of Beta corolliflora for Resistance to Curly Top in Idaho

Author
item Gillen, Anne
item Strausbaugh, Carl
item TINDALL, KELLY - UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

Submitted to: Journal of Sugar Beet Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/5/2008
Publication Date: 11/5/2008
Citation: Gillen, A.M., Strausbaugh, C.A., Tindall, K.V. 2008. Evaluations of Beta corolliflora for Resistance to Curly Top in Idaho. Journal of Sugar Beet Research. 45(3&4):99-118

Interpretive Summary: Curly top of sugarbeet is caused by Beet severe curly top virus or closely related virus species which are spread by the beet leafhopper. Beta corolliflora, shown in 1969 to impart a very high level of curly top resistance when crossed to sugarbeet, is a wild relative of cultivated sugarbeet, but it has not been utilized in breeding programs. The nature of curly top resistance from B. corolliflora seems to be reduced symptoms and resistance to viral accumulation, which would be of great utility for breeders. Several types of B. corolliflora were screened for resistance to curly top using both field screening and caged screening with beet leafhoppers to transmit the virus to the plant. Five types of B. corolliflora had no curly top symptoms and no evidence of virus accumulation in either test. A preference test was conducted to determine if non-preference for B. corolliflora as a food source by the beet leafhopper played a role in the results. Results showed that beet leafhoppers did not have an aversion to B. corolliflora and would most likely have at least sampled the plants in the field. Therefore the use of natural populations or releases of hand-reared beet leafhoppers should be effective to transmit the virus for field screening of B. corolliflora for resistance to curly top.

Technical Abstract: Curly top of sugarbeet is caused by Beet severe curly top virus or closely related virus species which are spread by the beet leafhopper. Beta corolliflora, shown in 1969 to impart a very high level of curly top resistance when crossed to sugarbeet, is a wild relative of cultivated sugarbeet, but it has not been utilized in breeding programs. The nature of curly top resistance from B. corolliflora seems to be reduced symptoms and resistance to viral accumulation, which would be of great utility for breeders. Several types of B. corolliflora were screened for resistance to curly top using both field screening and caged screening with beet leafhoppers to transmit the virus to the plant. Five types of B. corolliflora had no curly top symptoms and no evidence of virus accumulation in either test. A preference test was conducted to determine if non-preference for B. corolliflora as a food source by the beet leafhopper played a role in the results. Results showed that beet leafhoppers did not have an aversion to B. corolliflora and would most likely have at least sampled the plants in the field. Therefore the use of natural populations or releases of hand-reared beet leafhoppers should be effective to transmit the virus for field screening of B. corolliflora for resistance to curly top.