Beet curly top resistance in Beta vulgaris USDA-ARS Plant Introduction (PI) lines, 2024

Curly top disease of sugar beet is caused by the Beet curly top virus (BCTV) and is vectored by the beet leafhopper (Circulifer tenellus). Disease Incidence is widespread in the sugar beet production areas of the semiarid western United States. Once infected, sugar beet plants will begin to show symptoms of leaf vein swelling, thickening, and curling within a matter of weeks on the newly emerged leaves. Susceptible plants will show complete plant chlorosis and death during midseason. Resistant plants will have milder symptoms throughout the season but will have significantly reduced sugar yield at harvest. Considerable yield loss can occur unless crop protection measures are utilized. BCTV resistance through crop genetics is the primary defense against this disease, but resistance in current commercial cultivars is only low to intermediate and tends to be associated with lower yield potential. Therefore, new and novel germplasm sources of genetic resistance need to be identified and incorporated into commercial cultivars. This field study evaluates the BCTV resistance from 30 Beta vulgaris plant introduction (PI) lines from the USDA-ARS National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS).