The sugar beet cyst nematode (
Heterodera schachtii) is a serious problem for sugar beet growers in
Wyoming. Control measures include crop rotation and application of soil-applied nematicides or fumigants. Resistant cultivars have been used in Europe for
H. schachtii. control since 1996. However, no
H. schachtii-resistant cultivars are commercially available in the
US. The sugar beet nematode (SBN) resistant cultivar HM 1334 was compared with local cultivars for yield and reaction to
H. schachtii at four locations and to Fusarium Yellows caused by
F. oxysporum at one location in the Big Horn Basin of Wyoming. Test sites and local cultivars were; Site 1 (HM 9155) established in 2002 and Site 2 (Treasure), Site 3 (B-220B) and Site 4 (HM 9155). The experiment established in 2003 at Site 5 evaluated HM 9155 and HM 1334 for reaction to Fusarium Yellows caused by the fungus
Fusarium oxysporum f. sp.
betae. Root yields for HM 1334 at four of the five sites ranged from 51.0-95.2 Mg/ha with sugar yields of 6.9-14.2 Mg/ha compared to 49.7-90.3 Mg/ha and 7.6-13.3 Mg/ha for the local cultivars, respectively. Reproductive factors (Rf=final density/initial density) of
H. schachtii were lower (p = 0.014) in HM1334 plots (Rf = 1.59) than in Treasure plots (Rf = 3.91). At the other sites, initial
H. schachtii densities were very low or nil. Incidence of Fusarium Yellows (percent of beets either symptomatic or dead) at the Palesk I site was lower (p = 0.002) in HM1334 (4.2 %) than in HM9155 (41.6%). HM 1334 appeared to be well adapted to the
Wyoming Big Horn
Basin and showed definite promise as part of an integrated management program for
H. schachtii control.