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ARS Home » Midwest Area » East Lansing, Michigan » Sugarbeet and Bean Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #399435
Research Project: Genetic Characterization for Sugar Beet Improvement

Location: Sugarbeet and Bean Research

Title: Do fungicides containing phosphites have a direct effect on Cercospora beticola Sacc., the causal agent of Cercospora leaf spot of sugarbeey?

Author
item DERVARIC, CHRISTINE - University Of Guelph
item Hanson, Linda
item MCDONALD, M RUTH - University Of Guelph
item TRUEMAN, CHERYL - University Of Guelph

Submitted to: Journal of Sugar Beet Research
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/30/2023
Publication Date: 2/26/2023
Citation: Dervaric, C., Hanson, L.E., Mcdonald, M., Trueman, C. 2023. Do fungicides containing phosphites have a direct effect on Cercospora beticola Sacc., the causal agent of Cercospora leaf spot of sugarbeet? [abstract]. Journal of Sugar Beet Research. 60(2):23.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Cercospora beticola Sacc., casual agent of Cercospora leaf spot (CLS), is one of the most serious foliar pathogens of sugarbeets (Beta vulgaris spp. vulgaris). Resistance to fungicide resistance action committee (FRAC) Group 1 and 11 fungicides and increasing insensitivity to Group 3 fungicides provide increasing challenges for CLS management in Ontario, Canada. The active ingredient mancozeb, has been an important fungicide in standard spray programs, but has been re-evaluated with fewer (maximum five) applications permitted. Evaluation of alternative fungicides in 2019, 2020, and 2021 field trials demonstrated that fungicides containing phosphites are a possible alternative to mancozeb. To use these products effectively, it is beneficial to know if they directly suppress the pathogen or have an indirect effect such as increasing host resistance. Five concentrations of a commercial formulation of phosphites (Phostrol) (0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100ul/ml agar) were tested for effect on mycelial growth of eight single spore isolates of Cercospora beticola. Single spore isolates were collected from sugarbeet leaves with CLS symptoms from the outer guard rows of research field trials in 2020, and 2021 in Ridgetown, Ontario, Canada. Phosphites were incorporated into the V8 agar media, a mycelial plug placed in the center and the diameter of cultures was measured after five days. No concentration of phosphites decreased mycelial growth in comparison to the non-treated control. The 100ul phosphites per ml treatment (highest concentration tested, mean 18.4 mm) was statistically equivalent to that of the non-fungicide control (mean 17.6 mm) when analyzed using SAS 9.4 PROC GLIMMIX. This supports the hypothesis that phosphites stimulate host resistance to the pathogen and does not directly suppress the pathogen. Concurrent research on fungicide programs integrating phosphites is expected to provide growers with another option to combat CLS.