Occurrence and importance of root rots caused by fungal pathogens on sugar beet grown in Konya province of Turkey

Sugar beet is extensively grown in Konya province of Turkey and about one third of production of Turkey is obtained from this region. Recently root rots have been observed at all the growth stages of sugar beet especially at later stages near the harvest. During 2015–2017 growing years, 866 fields were visited and diseased samples having root rot symptoms were collected. Various root rot pathogens were isolated from 691 fields; Rhizoctonia solani being the most common (15% of the fields) followed by Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, Phoma betae, Aphanomyces cochlioides and Pythium spp. Apart from these pathogens, Fusarium culmorum, F. equiseti, F. sambucinum, F. verticillatum, unidentified Fusarium spp., Macrophomina phaseolina and Phytophthora spp. were also determined. All the fungal pathogens were isolated from both of the sugar beet growing stages of 0–12 BBCH and 31–49 BBCH, some of them being high ratios at the late stages. Some isolates of A. cochlioides, P. betae, Pythium spp., Phytophthora spp., and R.solani were highly aggressive when tested by a soil inoculum layer technique. Effects of twelve fungicides, in sixteen different combination and rate, on the most virulant and common four pathogens, A. cochlioides P. betae, Py. ultimum var. ultimum, Rhizoctonia solani, were investigated by the same technique. None of the fungicide mixes inhibited all four pathogens. Thiram + metalaxyl+ hymexazol + pyraclastrobin mix sufficiently prevented disease development of the first three pathogens but not R.solani.