This is the Sugarbeet Report, bringing you the latest information from NDSU throughout the sugar beet growing season. Cercospora leaf spot in sugar beet is one of the big threats to the crop. This is the time of year we start seeing symptoms. Let's find out the latest with Eric Branch, NDSU and University of Minnesota extension sugar beet specialist. Eric, what's the latest with Cercospora leaf spot?

Well, Bruce, now is a time where we can now see visible symptoms in areas of the valley. And if you haven't seen Cercospora leaf spot in your region, for those Sugarbeet growers listening, you will soon. We've had heat. We've had humidity, and then the wet weather from the past two weeks has really created the perfect storm along with that canopy closure for Cercospora leaf spot development. It's not necessarily any different than usual. The same conditions promote the same symptoms every year, and that's why we have a proactive and preventative Cercospora leaf spot management program.

Speaking of storms, we've recently had some rough weather. How does the storm damage affect the crop's health?

One question that I get sometimes is about that physical damage to the sugar beet leaves, where either it's heavy winds, strong rain in the wind, and maybe even some hail damages the leaves, a little bit of shredding. And as long as the hail is not too severe, right, all we're doing is we're introducing some wounds to that plant. And anytime we have a wound on a leaf, we introduce a way for bacteria, fungi of all sorts to enter and gain a foothold and begin to infect. These are weaker pathogens we typically see in the sugar beet world. We're concerned about alternaria, bacterial leaf spot, for example, can start to develop after those leaf damaging weather events. You know, fortunately, for the most part, the best thing to do is to carry on with the Cercospora leaf spot fungicide program. Keep getting those fungicides applied in a timely manner. I think the only thing to note with these storms, right, is that we've added moisture, and so that moisture is important for spore germination. So maybe just shorten those intervals from twelve days to nine days or twelve days to ten days, eight days, whatever whatever fits the field conditions.

Should farmers be doing anything differently after bad weather?

You know, Bruce, I would say just settle in and wait. Right? You know, it's still only July, so the beets for the most part are looking pretty good. And some areas maybe need a bit more moisture, but others need not more. I would I wanna say less, but not more. Yeah. You know, as we get some time and we can think proactively and preventatively, use those two words all the time about protecting the crop from Cercospora leaf spot will be the biggest benefit and the biggest dividend at the end of the year.

Eric, on average, how does the sugar beet crop look in the region?

I'm cautiously optimistic about this year's sugar beet crop. I think it looks overall pretty good. We are in a great place considering some of the replants and cooler spring and and challenging conditions we had in spring, but I'm cautiously optimistic.

Tell us about the plot tours coming up.

NDSU Sugarbeet Extension has two plot tours coming up in August. Just wanna get those dates out now. Tuesday, August 11, the Sugarbeet Weed and Disease Management Research Tour at Prosper North Dakota at the NDSU Prosper research site. And then Tuesday, August 25 at the Foxholm Research site just east of Breckenridge, and that's where we have lots of our Cercospora leaf spot management tours.

Thanks, Eric. Our guest has been Eric Branch, NDSU and University of Minnesota extension sugar beet specialist. This is the Sugarbeet Report, bringing you the latest information from NDSU throughout the sugar beet growing season.