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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Sugarbeet and Potato Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #252168
Title: Soybean Cyst Nematode Infects Roots of Sugar Beet

Author
item RUDOLPH, KURT - North Dakota State University
item Bolton, Melvin
item NELSON, BERLIN - North Dakota State University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/5/2010
Publication Date: 8/23/2010
Citation: Rudolph, K.D., Bolton, M.D., Nelson, B.D. 2010. Soybean cyst nematode infects roots of sugar beet [abstract.] 2010 American Phytopathological Society Abstracts. 100:S111. Available: http://www.apsnet.org/meetings/Documents/2010_Meeting_Abstracts/a10ma657.htm.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Soybean cyst nematode (SCN; Heterodera glycines) is the most important pest of soybean in the world. With the increase of soybean production in the Red River Valley of North Dakota and Minnesota over the past decades, SCN has become a growing threat to local soybean production. The sugar beet cyst nematode (Heterodera schachtii), a devastating pathogen of sugar beet and a close relative to SCN, is currently not found in the Red River Valley. Because SCN is closely related to H. schachtii, we initiated studies to determine whether SCN is able to infect sugar beet seedlings. Five cultivars of sugar beet were grown in soil infested with eggs of SCN HG 0 and roots were examined within two weeks. SCN readily penetrated into the cortex of sugar beet seedling roots, as determined by microscopy and SCN-specific PCR primers. Studies are currently underway to ascertain whether infection by SCN increases disease susceptibility of sugar beet seedlings to common soil borne pathogens in the Red River Valley.