A ProMED-mail post <http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseases <http://www.isid.org>
Date: Wed 8 Jul 2020 8:48 a.m. PDT
Source: Bloomberg [abridged, edited]
<https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-08/disease-threatens-to-destroy-large-chunk-of-europe-s-sugar-crop>
A crop-disease outbreak is giving Europe's struggling sugar farmers another thing to worry about. Hit by a dry spring that stressed beets after planting, growers now have to contend with the spread of beet yellows. Transmitted by aphids, it could cut sugar production by as much as 25% in France and even more in Germany, threatening to lower EU production for a 3rd season.
Fighting the disease has become harder since the European Union widened a ban on neonicotinoid insecticides in 2018. Sugar beet yield losses in France linked to beet yellows will cost farmers at least EUR 100 million [about USD 114 million], French growers' association CGB said. Yields in the country are seen at the lowest level in more than 15 years and could decline further, CGB said.
[byline: Manisha Jha]
--
communicated by: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
[Virus yellows is an important disease of sugar beet in Europe and elsewhere, with reported yield losses of up to 50%. The beet yellows complex may include one or several viruses, depending on the area, such as _Beet yellows virus_ (BYV; genus _Closterovirus_), _Beet mild yellowing virus_ (BMYV; genus _Polerovirus_) and _Beet chlorosis virus_ (BChV; genus _Polerovirus_). These viruses are transmitted by aphids (_Myzus persicae_ and other species). Disease management usually includes phytosanitation as well as vector control by field applications and seed treatments with insecticides.
The disease had already been considered a re-emerging threat in parts of Europe, even with most of the crops receiving an effective neonicotinoid seed treatment (ProMED-mail post http://promedmail.org/post/20100220.0582). Banning of neonicotinoids, the emergence of vector resistances to some foliar insecticides (for example pyrethroids), as well as the warming climate favouring an increase in aphid numbers suggest that integrated management strategies will be required in the future to control the disease.
Resistance breeding for multiple pathogens is difficult because host susceptibility is likely to involve different genes for the different pathogens. Ongoing trials established in the United Kingdom (ProMED-mail post http://promedmail.org/post/20200218.6999011) have identified some beet varieties that are less affected by symptoms.
While they were low-yielding cultivars and their use would not improve the overall sugar yield of a crop, these can be considered promising results.
Maps
Europe, overview:
<https://mapofeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/europe-political-map.jpg>
Pictures
Sugar beet virus yellows leaf symptoms:
<https://img.agriexpo.online/images_ag/projects/images-g/virus-yellows-sugar-beet-leaf-6189-14877183.jpg>,
<https://cropscience.bayer.co.uk/media/102725813/virus-yellows-beet-1200.jpg>
and
<https://c8.alamy.com/comp/APFJJ7/sugar-beet-virus-yellows-sbvy-infection-on-mature-sugar-beet-plant-APFJJ7.jpg>
Sugar beet field affected by virus yellows:
<https://bmcontent.affino.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/147/050517_p12_13_BB_Virus_yellows_Main.jpg>
and
<https://c8.alamy.com/comp/X9TB4J/sugar-beet-virus-yellows-foci-of-infection-in-a-sugar-beet-crop-X9TB4J.jpg>
Aphids:
<https://d1o50x50snmhul.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/dn24513-1_800.jpg>
Links
Information on sugar beet virus yellows:
<https://cropscience.bayer.co.uk/threats/diseases/sugar-beet-diseases/virus-yellows-beet/>,
<http://www7.inra.fr/hyp3/pathogene/6beyevi.htm>,
<https://www.plantwise.org/KnowledgeBank/datasheet/10262>,
<https://www.bcpc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/5-s-Mark-Stevens.pdf>,
<https://www.fwi.co.uk/arable/sugar-beet/4-point-plan-to-control-virus-yellows-in-sugar-beet>,
<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/8449937_Decision_making_in_controlling_virus_yellows_of_sugar_beet_in_the_UK>
and
<https://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/CAT87201161/PDF>
Resistance trials in UK:
<https://bbro.co.uk/our-news-opinions/our-news/news-2019/bbro-virus-yellows-preliminary-results/>
and
<https://www.fwi.co.uk/arable/sugar-beet/breakthrough-in-sugar-beet-battle-against-virus-yellows>
Alternative approved aphidicides via:
<https://www.certiseurope.co.uk/news/articles/news/virus-yellows-emergency-authorisations-for-sugar-beet/>
Virus taxonomy via:
<https://talk.ictvonline.org/taxonomy/>
Information on aphid vectors via:
<http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent425/text18/plantvectors.html>
- Mod.DHA]
[See Also:
Virus yellows, sugar beet - UK: resistance breeding
http://promedmail.org/post/20200218.6999011
2019
---
Virus yellows, sugar beet - UK: alert
http://promedmail.org/post/20190315.6368266
2010
---
Rhizomania, virus yellows, sugarbeet - UK: new strain
http://promedmail.org/post/20100220.0582
2007
---
Beet and cucurbit viruses, multiple hosts - China: 1st reports
http://promedmail.org/post/20070516.1564
2005
---
Beet yellow vein virus, sugarbeet - Morocco: 1st report
http://promedmail.org/post/20051112.3310
2002
---
Beet necrotic yellow vein, sugar beet - UK (England)
http://promedmail.org/post/20020827.5164
Beet viruses, sugar beet - Syria
http://promedmail.org/post/20021218.6089
and additional items on beet viruses in the archives]
Topics
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