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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Sugarbeet Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #423514
Research Project: Improving Sugarbeet Productivity and Sustainability through Genetic, Genomic, Physiological, and Phytopathological Approaches

Location: Sugarbeet Research

Title: Monitoring for rhizomania: keeping an eye on resistance-breaking strains of beet necrotic yellow vein virus

Author
item Ramachandran, Vanitharani
item Bolton, Melvin
item NEHER, OLIVER - Amalgamated Sugar Company

Submitted to: Amalgamated Sugarbeet Grower Journal
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/7/2025
Publication Date: 3/1/2025
Citation: Ramachandran, V., Bolton, M.D., Neher, O. 2025. Monitoring for rhizomania: keeping an eye on resistance-breaking strains of beet necrotic yellow vein virus. Amalgamated Sugarbeet Grower Journal. Sugarbeet Edition 2025 pg. 20-23.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Rhizomania is an economically important disease of sugar beet grown in all major production regions, including Idaho. Rhizomania negatively affects root quality and yield. The disease is caused by beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV), and is transmitted by Polymyxa betae, a soil-inhabiting organism. As of now, there are no tolerant varieties or registered pesticides available to manage Polymyxa and, consequently, the main focus has been on controlling BNYVV. Rhizomania has been managed using resistance genes that are bred into cultivRars, which provide considerable levels of disease management. However, sugar beets with symptoms of rhizomania are being observed in some Idaho fields indicating the presence of resistance breaking variants of BNYVV. Soil samples from rhizomania suspicious fields were evaluated for resistance-breaking strains of BNYVV in assays using sugar beet varieties with or without BNYVV resistance genes. The results showed that many of the surveyed fields have strains of BNYVV with the ability to compromise host resistance. Understanding the nucleotide changes within BNYVV will be helpful to develop new management strategies for the future.