Sugar beet activities of the USDA-ARS East Lansing conducted in cooperation with Saginaw Research and Extension Center during 2018 (with Projects 905 and 906)

Authors: McGrath, Jon; Hanson, Linda; Goodwill, Tom; CORDER, HOLLY - Michigan State University

Submitted to: Annual Beet Sugar Development Foundation Research Report
Publication Type: Research Notes
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2019
Publication Date: 9/1/2019
Citation: McGrath, J.M., Hanson, L.E., Goodwill, T.R., Corder, H. 2019. Sugar beet activities of the USDA-ARS East Lansing conducted in cooperation with Saginaw Research and Extension Center during 2018 (with Projects 905 and 906) [CD-ROM}. Annual Beet Sugar Development Foundation Research Report. Version 1.0. Denver, CO: Beet Sugar Development Foundation.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Evaluation and rating plots were planted at the Saginaw Valley Research & Extension Center (SVREC) in Frankenmuth, MI in 2018 that focused on Cercospora leaf spot (CLS) and Rhizoctonia crown and root rot (CRR) disease performance of a wide range of Beta vulgaris materials. CLS and CRR trials were conducted in conjunction with the Beet Sugar Development Foundation (BSDF) and CLS trials included USDA-ARS cooperator germplasm as well as germplasm screening for the National Plant Germplasm System. All trials were planted following normal fall and spring tillage operations. The CRR Eastern Evaluation Nursery had 312 entries from four companies. The nursery was inoculated with a dry ground barley inoculum of Rhizoctonia solani, anastomosis group 2-2 (highly virulent isolate). Roots were dug and each root was rated for disease severity. Variety disease index means for the entire nursery ranged from 3.2 to 6.7 (mean = 4.6). The CLS evaluation nursery had 169 entries from three companies and was inoculated with a liquid spore suspension of Cercospora beticola. 220 USDA-ARS breeding lines from two USDA cooperators.