A greenhouse test for screening sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) for resistance to Rhizoctonia solani

• Published in: European journal of plant pathology 2001-02, Vol.107 (2), p.161-166
• Main Authors: SCHOLTEN, Olga E, PANELLA, Lee W, DE BOCK, Theo S. M, LANGE, Wouter
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; anastomosis groups; Beta vulgaris; Biological and medical sciences; Experiments; Field tests; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Generalities. Techniques. Transmission, epidemiology, ecology. Antiviral substances, control; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; Greenhouses; Leaves; Microbiology; pathogenicity; Pest resistance; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Plant pathogens; Plant resistance; Plant viruses and viroids; Rhizoctonia solani; root-rot; Sugar; Sugar industry; Varietal selection. Specialized plant breeding, plant breeding aims
• ISSN: 0929-1873; 1573-8469
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1011208903344

Rhizoctonia solani Kühn is a serious plant pathogenic fungus, causing various types of damage to sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.). In Europe, the disease is spreading and becoming a threat for the growing of this crop. Plant resistance seems to be the most practical and economical way to control the disease. Experiments were carried out to optimise a greenhouse procedure to screen plants of sugar beet for resistance to R. solani. In the first experiment, two susceptible accessions were evaluated for root and leaf symptoms, after being grown in seven different soil mixtures and inoculated with R. solani. The fungus infected all plants. It was concluded that leaf symptoms were not reliable for the rating of disease severity. Statistically significant differences between the soil mixtures were observed, and there were no significant differences between the two accessions. The two soil mixtures, showing the most severe disease symptoms, were selected for a second experiment, including both resistant and susceptible accessions. As in the first experiment, root symptoms were recorded using a 1-7 scale, and a significant expression of resistance was observed. The average severity of the disease in the greenhouse experiment generally was comparable with the infection in field experiments, and the ranking of the accessions was the same in the two types of experiments. It was concluded that evaluation procedures in the greenhouse could be used as a rapid assay to screen sugar beet plants for resistance to R. solani.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]