Bacteria and yeast associated with sugar beet root rot at harvest in the Intermountain West

Strausbaugh, C.A. and Gillen, A.M. (2008) Bacteria and yeast associated with sugar beet root rot at harvest in the Intermountain West. Plant Disease. 92:357-363.

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Abstract

An undescribed wet rot of roots was observed in surveys of recently harvested sugar beet roots
in Idaho and eastern Oregon in 2004 and 2005. Microorganisms isolated from 287 roots fell into
the following groups: A (41% of strains), B (29%), C (17%), D (11%), E (2%), and F (1%).
Groups A, B, C, and F were composed of bacteria while groups D and E were yeasts. Subgroup
A1 (80% of group A strains) included Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. dextranicum strains
and subgroup A2 (20%) contained Lactobacillus strains. Group B was dominated by subgroup
B1 (92% of strains), which included Gluconobacter strains. When only one organism was isolated
from rotted roots, strains from subgroup A1 were isolated most frequently. Group C was
composed of enteric bacteria. Strain B322 of L. mesenteroides subsp. dextranicum caused the
most severe rot on root slices and produced symptoms similar to those in harvested roots. Results
suggest that L. mesenteroides subsp. dextranicum is among the first bacterial species to
enter sugar beet roots, closely following fungal infections or entering directly through openings
such as growth cracks. The bacterial rot leads to yield loss in the field but likely also leads to
storage and factory-processing problems.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	1237
Subjects:	Irrigated crops > Sugarbeet > Root rots > Bacteria
Depositing User:	Users 3 not found.
Date Deposited:	24 Mar 2008 21:39
Last Modified:	20 Oct 2016 16:15
Item ID:	1260
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/1260