Silencing a Stealthy, Sneaky Pathogen

Rhizoctonia can rob sugarbeet growers of yield and sugar content. To preserve profitability, growers must use Excalia® Fungicide to protect against potential Rhizoctonia root and crown rot infection.

How Rhizoctonia limits profitability

A stealthy, sneaky pathogen, Rhizoctonia can live for numerous months, or even years, undisturbed underground until revived by the right soil conditions and a susceptible plant host, such as soybean, corn or sugarbeet.

Rhizoctonia root and crown rot disease, caused by the fungus, Rhizoctonia solani, can devastate the potential yield and quality of a sugarbeet crop. Even low levels of Rhizoctonia infection can decrease sugar content, and as Rhizoctonia infection increases, sugar content decreases.

“Sugar content is extremely critical. Growers’ No. 1 goal is not necessarily tons per acre of sugar beet -- it's sucrose content within those beets,” says Trevor Dale, territory account manager.

Scouting for root and crown rot

Scouting for disease symptoms at multiple times throughout the season can help growers understand disease risk and plan preventative measures for next season. Because infestation levels can vary within a field, scouting in multiple locations in each field also is critical to proper diagnosis and treatment.

Infection can begin as soon as the seed is planted and until the beet is processed. Spotty stands and wilting leaves are potential symptoms of crown rot, which typically develops at or near the soil line.

As the season progresses, growers should dig into the soil to assess root health. If Rhizoctonia infection is present, black or dark brown lesions may be visible on roots. After harvest, diseased roots can potentially spread the soilborne pathogen to healthy beets if stored together.

Get fast, effective disease control

Excalia® Fungicide by Valent U.S.A. powerfully protects yield and sugarbeet quality from Rhizoctonia infection.

Excalia is an SDHI fungicide that is highly effective against the pathogen that causes root and crown rot. With systemic and translaminar activity, Excalia moves quickly into the plant for powerful and long-lasting disease control.

In field trials across the upper Midwest, Excalia outperformed the standard treatment of azoxystrobin fungicides. Data from trials conducted in Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota and North Dakota demonstrate a measurable, positive increase in sugar content and yield with an application of Excalia in comparison to azoxystrobin brands and the untreated control.

“It’s exciting to see how Excalia increased the sugar content in beets,” says Jill Calabro, product development manager for fungicides. “The sugar content was greatest within the Excalia treatment. That data is very impactful for a co-op and a grower.”

For more information about Excalia, visit Valent.com/Excalia, or listen to our recent podcast episode on the topic.