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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fort Collins, Colorado » Center for Agricultural Resources Research » Soil Management and Sugarbeet Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #429568
Research Project: Genomic Mining of Sugar Beet Crop Wild Relative Germplasm Resources for New Sources of Disease Resistance

Location: Soil Management and Sugarbeet Research

Title: Assessment of NPGS sugar beet germplasm for resistance to Rhizoctonia Root and Crown Rot in Fort Collins, CO, 2024

Author
item Todd, Olivia
item MCNEILL, SAMUEL - Colorado State University
item Cornwall, Alexander
item Stewart, Catherine
item Yeater, Kathleen
item Dorn, Kevin

Submitted to: Plant Health Progress
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/15/2025
Publication Date: 3/6/2025
Citation: Todd, O.E., McNeill, S., Cornwall, A.M., Stewart, C.E., Yeater, K.M., Dorn, K.M. 2025. Assessment of NPGS sugar beet germplasm for resistance to Rhizoctonia Root and Crown Rot in Fort Collins, CO, 2024. Plant Health Progress. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-09-25-0233-PDMR.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-09-25-0233-PDMR

Interpretive Summary: Rhizoctonia crown and root rot (RCRR) is among the most devastating root disease of sugar beet in the United States. Our report evaluates the response of 35 USDA-ARS sugar beet prebreeding lines (Beta vulgaris). The trial was conducted in Fort Colins, CO in the summer growing season of 2024. Results from this trial will enable selection of resistant germplasm for advancement through the breeding pipeline.

Technical Abstract: Rhizoctonia Root and Crown Rot (RRCR), caused by the soil borne fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia solani, is among the most devastating root diseases of sugar beet in the United States. Symptoms include small circular lesions on the root that advance to necrotic cavities and full necrosis of the foliage and root in severe cases. This report evaluates the resistance response of 31 beet germplasm (Beta vulgaris and Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima) from the NPGS Beta collection to Rhizoctonia solani. The trial was conducted in Fort Colins, CO in the summer of 2024. Results from this trial advance the long-term effort of identifying RRCR resistant germplasm from the Beta collection to advance resistance breeding efforts.