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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Sugarbeet and Potato Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #176830
Title: OLD AND NEW SOURCES OF RESISTANCE TO RHIZOMANIA

Author
item Weiland, John

Submitted to: The Sugarbeet Grower
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/4/2005
Publication Date: 2/7/2005
Citation: Weiland, J.J. 2005. Old and new sources of resistance to rhizomania. The Sugarbeet Grower. 44(2)12-14.

Interpretive Summary: Rhizomania is a severe root disease of sugarbeet that has expanded in recent years to all sugarbeet growing regions of the U.S.. Natural genetic resistance exists to Rhizomania that has been durable for over 15 years of use world-wide. In the past 3 years, new strains of beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV), the causal agent of Rhizomania, have emerged in the all production regions of the world, including the U.S.. Traditional breeding practices to discover and incorporate resistance to these new strains are underway and will likely provide some measure of success in controlling the disease. As an alternative genetically-modified (GM) sources of resistance should be explored as well as they have shown to effectively control many viral diseases of crops other than sugarbeet. Controversies over the implementation of GM sugarbeet will need to be resolved before this becomes a reality. Standard breeding practices will still be needed in order to incorporate natural genes or GM-derived genes into industry-standard sugarbeet hybrids.

Technical Abstract: Rhizomania is a severe root disease of sugarbeet that has expanded in recent years to all sugarbeet growing regions of the U.S.. Natural genetic resistance exists to Rhizomania that has been durable for over 15 years of use world-wide. In the past 3 years, new strains of beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV), the causal agent of Rhizomania, have emerged in the all production regions of the world, including the U.S.. Traditional breeding practices to discover and incorporate resistance to these new strains are underway and will likely provide some measure of success in controlling the disease. As an alternative genetically-modified (GM) sources of resistance should be explored as well as they have shown to effectively control many viral diseases of crops other than sugarbeet. Controversies over the implementation of GM sugarbeet will need to be resolved before this becomes a reality. Standard breeding practices will still be needed in order to incorporate natural genes or GM-derived genes into industry-standard sugarbeet hybrids.