ARS | Publication request: Sugar beet germplasm evaluated for resistance to rhizomania and storability in Idaho, 2007

Submitted to: Plant Disease Management Reports
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: June 25, 2008
Publication Date: July 21, 2008
Citation: Strausbaugh, C.A., Eujayl, I.A., Lewellen, R.T. 2008. Sugar beet germplasm evaluated for resistance to rhizomania and storability in Idaho, 2007. Plant Disease Management Reports. 2:FC105.

Interpretive Summary: Preventing sugar losses in storage and rhizomania in the field is important to the economic viability of the sugar beet industry. Rhizomania, caused by Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV), is an important viral disease problem worldwide, leading to significant yield loss in the field but also in storage. The primary means of controlling this disease is through host resistance. However, strains of BNYVV that overcome resistance are present in all major production areas in the United States. Sugar beet lines were developed and screened to characterize them for both resistance and storability. Some lines possessed both good resistance and storability. These lines will potentially lead to cultivars with better resistance to BNYVV and storability to reduce sugar loss.

Technical Abstract: Rhizomania caused by Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) and storage losses are serious sugar beet production problems. To identify new sources of resistance to BNYVV and increase storability, 48 sugar beet lines and check cultivars were screened by growing them in BNYVV infested soil in Rupert, ID during the 2007 growing season in a randomized complete block design with 8 replications. At harvest, roots were dug and evaluated for symptoms of rhizomania and also placed in an indoor commercial sugar beet storage building. Storage samples were also evaluated for fungal growth known to correlate with sugar loss. Root evaluations established that 26 of lines had good resistance and were not significantly different from checks containing the Rz1 gene. Three lines appeared to possess both good storability and rhizomania resistance. Resistance to fungal growth in storage was dependent upon cultivars containing rhizomania resistance and storability. Once these traits are incorporated into commercial cultivars, both resistance to rhizomania and storability should be improved.