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Title: Temperature effects on the interactions of sugar beet Fusarium yellows caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. betae

Author
item Webb, Kimberly
item Brenner, Tammy
item JACOBSEN, BARRY - Montana State University

Submitted to: Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/6/2015
Publication Date: 9/11/2015
Citation: Webb, K.M., Brenner, T.L., Jacobsen, B. 2015. Temperature effects on the interactions of sugar beet Fusarium yellows caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. betae. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology. 37(3):353-362.

Interpretive Summary: Fusarium yellows of sugar beet, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. betae, causes significant reductions in root yield, sucrose percentage, and juice purity. Severity of Fusarium yellows was assessed at different temperatures to determine if increasing temperatures led to more disease or a reduction in resistance. At very low temperatures (15oC to 20oC), little development of Fusarium yellows occurred, while more severe infections occurred at temperatures higher than 24oC. Additionally, in two resistant sugar beet cultivars, disease severity did not increase as air temperature increased.

Technical Abstract: Fusarium yellows of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.), caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. betae, causes a significant reduction in root yield, sucrose percentage, and juice purity. The environmental or agronomic factors that contribute to development and severity of Fusarium yellows have not been described and previous research demonstrates that isolates of F. oxysporum f. sp. betae can be highly variable with regard to pathogenicity and virulence. Severity of Fusarium yellows was assessed at different temperatures to determine if increasing temperatures led to more disease or a reduction in resistance. Additionally, isolates of F. oxysporum, pathogenic and non-pathogenic to sugar beet, were grown in culture at different temperatures (15oC, 20oC, 25oC, 30oC, and 35oC) and the rate of growth assessed. At very low temperatures (15oC to 20oC), little development of Fusarium yellows occurred, while more severe infections occurred at temperatures higher than 24oC. Additionally, in two resistant sugar beet cultivars (SYN563 and SYN568), disease severity did not increase as air temperature increased. However, some isolates of F. oxysporum f. sp. betae grew differently at different temperatures suggesting that the diversity of the fungal population could influence severity in the field at different air temperatures.