This is the sugar beet report, bringing you the latest information from NDSU throughout the sugar beet growing season. Today, we're discussing soil borne diseases that affect sugar beets. Our guest is Ashok Chanda, extension sugar beet pathologist with the University of Minnesota Northwest Research and Outreach Center in Crookston, Minnesota. Ashok, since producers planted early this year and the weather's been variable, what are the soil borne diseases growers should be watching for?

So, Bruce, seventy percent of the beets in our growing area were planted by April 29, which is on the earlier side, and it's a great news. In fields where soil conditions were optimal, the germination and emergence was pretty good, and these beets are currently at four leaf stage. But, unfortunately, there are some fields. The emergence was, highly variable, whether it's because of soil crusting or some of the residue from the previous season. So these fields are struggling. But in general, early planting is really good, but it's bad news for soil borne diseases because soil is cooler, so these pathogens don't really like cooler soil. On the contrary, there are some fields with a history of rhizoctonia. That's where we can see some action happening in terms of dying seedlings.

How do you categorize fields with low and high risk for rhizoctonia?

If you think about fields with longer rotation, like, you know, four to five year rotation, and if you're growing wheat or barley at least, you know, one or two years prior to sugar beets, and you're consistently having 75 beets for a hundred foot of row, I call these as a low risk fields. And if you have fields with, you know, two to three year rotation, you have soybeans and corn, hardly any small grains, and you're having only, like, 30 beats per hundred foot of row, primarily due to, you know, rhizoctonia damage, these are, considered as a high risk fields.

In the next few weeks, can growers do anything to manage rhizoctonia?

Early planting is always good, but it's only a matter of time rhizoctonia will catch up with sugar beets. Right? You know, eventually, the soil will get warmer. But the good news is there are a few things that the growers can do to manage rhizoctonia. When the beets are between four and eight leaf stage, they can apply postemergence fungicides, especially, you know, they can choose a seven inch band or broadcast application. But especially if they use the fungicide Excalia, that can be applied as both band and broadcast. But most of the other fungicides are recommended to be applied only as a band application. So if you have a heavy risk field, I would say apply between four and six leaf stage. If you have a moderate risk field, apply between six to eight leaf stage.

Is all the recent rain bad news for Aphenomyces diseases?

Aphanomyces loves saturated soil conditions. It also has to be warm, so which we don't have the warmth right now. Another good news, when the seed was planted, it already came with some seed treatments that can offer protection for the seedlings as efenomyces. But, eventually, you know, if we get more rain later in the season and the fields with the history of efenomyces, we can see some chronic root rot. But applying factory waste lime and also, you know, selecting a tolerant variety should be very good at managing ephetamycin in these fields.

Ashok, are you offering disease diagnosis again this year?

Yes. Thanks to the Sugar Beet Research and Education Board of Minnesota and North Dakota for funding this important service to the growers. If you suspect any disease issues in your field, please talk to your agriculturist or a crop consultant so they could just sample some plants and send it to my lab. We're actually located on the University of Minnesota Crookston campus on the West Side at the Northwest Research and Outreach Center. Typically, we'll get back to you within in a couple of days with the results.

Ashok, any final thoughts?

So please keep this in mind. Right? Disease management is not a short term goal. It's a long term goal. You know, for example, if you have ephememysis in the field, you know, it can stick around for more than ten years. Even rhizoctonia can survive for two to three years. Right? So anything that you do this year and every growing season, it's all cumulative, and it will help you in the long run for disease management. And one thing to keep in mind when you move your equipment from one field to another, you know, make sure you pressure wash them so that way you're not introducing these pathogens into your cleaner fields. The final thought would be use all your tools in the toolbox. I think you will do good.

Thanks, Ashok. Our guest has been Ashok Chanda, extension sugar beet pathologist with the University of Minnesota Northwest Research and Outreach Center in Crookston, Minnesota. This is the sugar beet report, bringing you the latest information from NDSU throughout the sugar beet growing season.