ARS | Publication request: Commercial sugar beet cultivars evaluated for rhizomania resistance and storability in Idaho, 2010

Submitted to: Plant Disease Management Reports
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: June 30, 2011
Publication Date: August 19, 2011
Citation: Strausbaugh, C.A., Eujayl, I.A., Rearick, E., Foote, P. 2011. Commercial sugar beet cultivars evaluated for rhizomania resistance and storability in Idaho, 2010. Plant Disease Management Reports. Report5:FC102 DOI:10.1094/PDMR05.

Interpretive Summary: Preventing sucrose losses in storage is important to the economic viability of the sugar beet industry. Rhizomania, caused by Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV), is an important viral disease problem worldwide, leading to significant yield loss in the field but also in storage. The primary means of controlling this disease is through host resistance. Thus, commercial sugar beet cultivars were screened to characterize them for both resistance to rhizomania and storability. All commercial cultivars except four (one was a check cultivar) had acceptable levels of rhizomania resistance. Sucrose reduction in storage ranged from 20 to 41%, indicating there is considerable room for improving storability with most cultivars. These data will aid the sugar beet industry in improving cultivar performance in the field and storage.

Technical Abstract: Rhizomania caused by Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) and storage losses are serious sugar beet production problems. To identify sugar beet cultivars with resistance to BNYVV and evaluate storability, 28 commercial cultivars were screened by growing them in a sugar beet field infested with BNYVV in Kimberly, ID during the 2010 growing season in a randomized complete block design with 4 replications. At harvest on 18 October 2010, roots were dug and evaluated for symptoms of rhizomania and also placed in an indoor commercial sugar beet storage building. Storage samples were evaluated for fungal growth known to correlate with sucrose loss. Depending on cultivar, surface root discoloration (rot and fungal growth) ranged from 1 to 14%. Overall, the commercial cultivars had an average sucrose reduction of 27% after 112 days in storage. Improving cultivar performance for resistance to sucrose loss in storage and rhizomania has the potential to lead to considerable economic benefit to the sugar beet industry.