Remote Sensing for Assessing Rhizoctonia Crown and Root Rot Severity in Sugar Beet.

Rhizoctonia crown and root rot (RCRR), caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG-2-2, is an increasingly important disease of sugar beet in Minnesota and North Dakota. Disease ratings are based on subjective, visual estimates of root rot severity (0-to-7 scale, where 0 = healthy and 7 = 100% rotted, foliage dead). Remote sensing was evaluated as an alternative method to assess RCRR.

Phylogenetic relationships among plant and animal parasites, and saprotrophs in Aphanomyces (Oomycetes).

Molecular phylogenetic relationships among 12 species of Aphanomyces de Bary (Oomycetes) were analyzed based on 108 ITS sequences of nuclear rDNA. Sequences used in the analyses belonged to the major species currently available in pure culture and GenBank. Bayesian, maximum likelihood, and maximum parsimony analyses support that Aphanomyces constitutes a monophyletic group.

Viability and maturation of Aphanomyces cochlioides oospores.

Plasmolysis, tetrazolium bromide staining and microscopic appearance were tested for their usefulness in determining viability of oospores of Aphanomyces cochlioides. For comparison, three lethal treatments were employed to contrast the reaction of dead oospores and untreated, presumably viable oospores. Few oospores stained with tetrazolium bromide, even though plasmolysis and microscopic appearance indicated that 85% were viable.

Spatial Distribution of Aphanomyces cochlioides and Root Rot in Sugar Beet Fields.

Spatial distribution of Aphanomyces cochlioides inoculum and disease was assessed in sugar beet fields located near Moorhead, MN and Wahpeton, ND. Soil samples were collected in June and July 1994 from two main plots (60 by 60 m) in each field. Samples were evaluated for A.

Variability in Sensitivity to Metalaxyl in vitro, Pathogenicity, and Control of Pythium spp. on Sugar Beet.

Pythium ultimum var. sporangiiferum (76 isolates) and P. aphanidermatum (21 isolates) cultured from diseased sugar beet seedlings in Minnesota and North Dakota were tested for sensitivity to metalaxyl, pathogenicity on sugar beet, and disease control by metalaxyl seed treatment.

Reaction of Soybean Cultivars to Isolates of Fusarium solani from the Red River Valley.

Five isolates of Fusarium solani, originally isolated from diseased soybean roots in the Red River Valley (RRV) of Minnesota and North Dakota, were evaluated for their ability to cause symptoms on 10 genetically diverse soybean cultivars. Taproots of 2-week-old plants were inoculated with F. solani-infested oat kernels, and 3 and 10 weeks later, plants were evaluated for root rot and foliar symptoms.

Characterization and Pathogenicity of Thanatephorus cucumeris from Sugar Beet in Minnesota.

In 1993, hymenia of Thanatephorus cucumeris occurred on petioles of sugar beet leaves, but disease was not observed on leaves, crowns, or roots. Of 33 cultures isolated from sugar beet, 28 were identified as Rhizoctonia solani AG-3 (from four fields planted to potatoes in 1992) and five isolates were AG-5 (from one field planted to wheat in 1992). These isolates of R.