CONTROL OF SUGAR BEET LEAF SPOT DISEASE CAUSED BY THE FUNGUS Cercospora beticola (Sacc)

El-Moghazy, S. M.; El-kot, G. A.; Hamza, Amany M.

doi:10.21608/jppp.2011.86634

CONTROL OF SUGAR BEET LEAF SPOT DISEASE CAUSED BY THE FUNGUS Cercospora beticola (Sacc)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Plant Pathology Res. Inst., Agric. Res. Center, Cairo Egypt

² Agric. Botany Dept., Fac. Agric., Kafrelsheikh Univ., Kafr El-Sheikh, 33516, Egypt

³ Pesticides Dept., Fac. Agric., Kafrelsheikh Univ., Kafr El-Sheikh, 33516, Egypt

10.21608/jppp.2011.86634

Abstract

In an attempt to control sugar beet leaf spot caused by Cercospora beticola with certain chemicals i.e. copper sulphate, magnesium sulphate, potassium oxide, calcium+ magnesium as well as by biological (Trichoderma album [Bio-Zeid] and Bacillus megaterium [Bio-Arc]) treatments beside two fungicides i.e. difenconazole [Secore] and tetraconazole [Eminent] which were evaluated under laboratory and field conditions. Also, the effect of the tested treatments on some sugar beet characteristics eg. leaf dry weight, root fresh weight, soluble solid content, sucrose content and purity of sugar was investigated. Results indicated that all tested treatments were effective against the causal fungus as indicated by disease severity and sugar beet yield characters. The fungicide tetraconazole was the most effective treatment against the disease, however,the two tested biocontrol agents showed considerable efficacy. The moderate efficacy of the tested biocontrol agents relative to fungicides suggested an integrated approach towards C. beticola, preferring the application of the fungicide in the first phase of the disease, where as application of either Bacillus or Trichoderma-based formulations in the later phases. The spray of calcium, magnesium or potassium against Cercospora beticola suggested the ability of using such chemicals for controlling the disease either alone or mixed with the fungicides to reduce the applied amount of fungicides.

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