Diseases

Cercospora Leaf Spot — Sugar Beet

Beta vulgaris Sugar Beet Group

A fungal disease caused by the pathogen Cercospora beticola, which affects the foliage of sugar beets. The disease leads to leaf necrosis, forcing the plant to deplete sugar reserves from the root crops, which reduces both their weight and sugar content.

In the reference 484 varieties crop Sugar beet, where this is mentioned in the description.

The pathogen responsible for the disease is the imperfect fungus Cercospora beticola Sacc., which possesses high genetic plasticity and is represented by numerous regional pathotypes. The infection manifests as small, circular spots 2–4 mm in diameter, grayish-brown in color with a reddish-brown border. Under conditions of high humidity, a characteristic velvety coating of fungal sporulation forms in the center of the spots.

The infestation begins with the lower leaves and gradually spreads to the entire rosette, and in cases of high infection intensity, to the petioles and seed plant stems. Severe disease development causes premature wilting and death of the leaf blade. This triggers secondary foliage growth at the expense of sugar stored in the root crops, leading to yield loss and reduced storage quality in piles.

Genetic resistance to Cercospora leaf spot in sugar beet is a complex trait controlled by the NBS-LRR gene family. Currently, there are no immune cultivars; therefore, breeding efforts are focused on developing tolerant hybrids capable of limiting pathogen development in various geographical zones.

General information about the subject — on the page Cercospora leaf spot.

Sources8

Varieties of Sugar beet mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.