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Foliar and seed treatment insecticides for the control of beet curly top in Idaho sugar beet, 2023
Full text linkCurly top caused by Beet curly top virus (BCTV) is a widespread disease problem vectored by the beet leafhopper in semiarid sugar beet production areas. Host resistance is the primary defense against this problem, but resistance in commercial cultivars is only low to intermediate. The neonicotionoid seed treatments currently supplement this resistance to provide early season control. In order to identify other management options seven insecticide treatments were screened in 2023 on a commercial sugar beet cultivar approved for production. The plots were arranged in a randomized complete block design with eight replications. A curly top epiphytotic was created by releasing six viruliferous beet leafhoppers per plant at the eight-leaf growth stage on 12 June. Foliar symptoms were evaluated on 7 and 25 August using a scale of 0-9 (0 = healthy and 9 = dead). Curly top symptom development was uniform and no other disease problems were evident in the plot area. The disease pressure in the test was severe with good symptom development in the non-treated check. The three treatments with the Poncho Beta seed treatment provided better control than the other treatments based on foliar ratings, root yield, and estimated recoverable sucrose (ERS). Combining Methyl Jasmonate and Jasmonic Acid foliar treatments with the Poncho Beta seed treatment led to the best root yield and ERS. The Asana foliar check had the next best foliar ratings, root yield, and ERS. All other treatments including the non-treated check were dead at the second foliar rating and had almost no yield or ERS. This data show that sugar beet production in areas with curly top would suffer greatly without the neonicotinoid seed treatments and supplemental foliar treatments. Additional evaluations will need to be conducted with other insecticides if alternatives to the neonicotinoid (Poncho Beta) chemical class are to be identified for curly top control
Beet curly top resistance in two USDA-ARS sugar beet germplasm panels, 2023.
Full text linkTwo germplasm panels consisting of thirty sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) lines each from USDA-ARS pre-breeding programs were
screened for resistance to Beet curly top virus (BCTV) alongside three commercial check cultivars [Detroit Dark Red (susceptible),
HM PM90 (resistant), and SV2012RR (susceptible)]. The curly top evaluation was conducted at the USDA-ARS North Farm in
Kimberly, ID which has Portneuf silt loam soil and had been in barley in 2022. The field was fall plowed with a Terrano chisel plow.
In the spring, the field was fertilized (115 lb N and 140 lb P2O5/A), disked, and roller harrowed on 10 Apr. The germplasm was
planted (density of 114,048 seeds/A) on 2 May. The plots were two rows 10-ft long with 22-in. row spacing and treatments were
arranged in a randomized complete block design with six replications. The field was sprinkler irrigated, cultivated, and hand weeded
as necessary. Plants were inoculated at the four- to six-leaf growth stage on 12 Jun with approximately six viruliferous (containing the
following BCTV strains: California/Logan and Severe) beet leafhoppers (Circulifer tenellus Baker) per plant. The beet leafhoppers
were redistributed two times a day during the first seven days by dragging a tarp through the field. Plots were rated for foliar
symptom development on 12 Jul using a scale of 0 to 9 (0 = healthy and 9 = dead; Plant Dis. 90:1539-1544). Data were rank
transformed prior to nonparametric analysis in SAS (Ver. 9.4) using the PROC MIXED procedure as described by Shah and Madden
(Phytopathology 94:33-43). Mean separation was based on a PDIFF comparison with a probability cutoff of 0.05
National greenhouse gas emissions reduction potential from adopting anaerobic digestion on large-scale dairy farms in the United States
Full text linkWaste-to-energy systems can provide a functional demonstration of the economic and environmental benefits of circularity, innovation, and reimagining existing systems. This study offers a robust quantification of the greenhouse gas reduction potential of industry-level adoption of anaerobic digestion (AD) technology on large-scale dairy farms in the contiguous United States. National GHG reduction estimates were developed through a robust life cycle modeling framework considering 20 dairy configurations that capture important differences in housing and manure management practices, applicable AD technologies, regional climates, storage cleanout schedules, and methods of land application. Results illustrate the potential for AD adoption to reduce GHG emissions from the dairy industry by 2.90 million metric tonnes (MMT) of CO2-eq per year considering current economic barriers, and as much as 5.17 MMT of CO2-eq per year with economic barriers removed. At the farm level, AD technology may reduce GHG emissions from manure management systems by 55-77% depending on the region. Discussion focuses on regional differences in GHG emissions from manure management strategies and the challenges and opportunities surrounding AD adoption
Curly top viruses and phytoplasmas in sugar beets, common beans, and beet leafhoppers along with vector population dynamics in southern Idaho
Full text linkBeet curly top in sugar beet and common bean is a major yield limiting disease which is caused by Beet curly top virus (BCTV) and is vectored by the beet leafhopper (BLH; Circulifer tenellus). BLH populations in southern Idaho were tracked during the 2020 and 2021 growing seasons in desert areas and sugar beet and common bean fields with yellow sticky cards to assess BLH population levels and identify the curly top virus species/strains and phytoplasmas present. Plants from monitored crop fields were also assessed for the same pathogens. Once BLH populations in Elmore Co. began increasing in May, they were present in double-digit numbers per card through the summer at all sites both years. However, the BLH numbers at other desert sites were at or near zero; local weed populations and not desert areas appeared to be the primary source of BLH in crop fields. Based on cytochrome oxidase gene, two haplotypes dominated the BLH population both years. Both years, BCTV strains Worland (Wor) and Colorado (CO) were the primary strains in BLH and plant samples. The CA/Logan, Pepper curly top (PeCT), and Severe strains of BCTV were also detected in BLH along with Spinach curly top Arizona virus (SpCTAV). Phytoplasmas were detected in 1% of BLH samples both years. Phytoplasmas, SpCTAV, and PeCT were not detected in plant samples. This project established the curly top species/strains for which host plant resistance is needed as well as the time and areas when crops are at highest risk for infection
Climate change in a semi-arid environment: effects on crop rotation with dairy manure application
Full text linkAgricultural crops grown in the irrigated semi-arid region of southern Idaho account for almost two-thirds of
the median household income in the region. The impacts of climate change on cropping systems and the availability of water
for irrigation would be a serious challenge for the state's economic dependence on agriculture. The objective of the study
was to simulate the future impact of climate change on a crop rotation of spring wheat-potato-spring barley-sugarbeet
grown in the semi-arid region of southern Idaho using conventional management practices and a high dairy manure application.
The Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM2) simulations used bias-corrected and spatially disaggregated projections
from the World Climate Research Program’s coupled model inter-comparison project phase 5 to generate 40 GCM
projections for the time from 2071-2099. The 28-yr scenarios were designed to simulate the impact of temperature and CO2
regimes on crop production, soil nitrogen mineralization, nitrogen seepage, deep seepage of water, and nitrous oxide emissions.
Data from a field experiment in southern Idaho with conventional fertilizer practices and annual applications of
52 Mg ha-1 dairy manure with a crop rotation of spring wheat-potato-spring barley-sugarbeet were used in the RZWQM2
simulations. Results were compared to a baseline scenario of conventional management practices, historical weather data,
and ambient CO2. Spring wheat yield increased by 22% and 16% for manure and fertilizer treatments, respectively, compared
to the baseline scenario. Using the same comparison, potato tuber yield decreased by 65% and 60% in the manure
and fertilizer treatments, respectively, for the highest temperature and CO2 increase scenarios. Spring barley produced a
33% higher yield with increased temperature and CO2. However, yield decreased when temperature increased, but CO2
remained unchanged. Sugarbeet yields decreased by 16% and 18% for manure and fertilizer treatments, respectively, compared
to the baseline scenario. Nitrogen mineralization, N seepage from the profile, and nitrous oxide emissions were
strongly influenced by the manure applications, and there was little simulated impact of climate change on these processes.
These simulation results indicate that genetic enhancements or alternative management will be needed to maintain potato
and sugar beet production levels in semi-arid areas, while spring barley and wheat yields may increase, assuming adequate
irrigation water supplies are available
Fort Collins sugar beet germplasm evaluated for rhizomania and storage rot resistance in Idaho, 2023
Full text linkThirty sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) lines from the USDA-ARS Ft. Collins sugar beet program and five check cultivars were screened
for resistance to Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV), the causal agent of rhizomania, and to storage rot. The rhizomania
evaluation was conducted at the USDA-ARS North Farm in Kimberly, ID which has Portneuf silt loam soil and had been in barley in
2022. The field was fall plowed with a Terrano chisel plow. In the spring the field was fertilized (115 lb N and 140 lb P2O5/A) and
roller harrowed on 10 Apr 23. The germplasm was planted (density of 114,048 seeds/A) on 2 May. The plots were one row 10-ft
long with 22-in. between-row spacing and arranged in a randomized complete block design with 6 replicates. The crop was managed
according to standard cultural practices for southern Idaho. The trial relied on endemic field inoculum for rhizomania and storage rot
development. The plots were rated for rhizomania foliar symptom (percentage of plants with yellow, stunted, upright leaves)
development on 7 Aug. The plants were mechanically topped and hand harvested on 16-17 Oct. At harvest, ten roots per plot were
rated for rhizomania symptom development using a scale of 0 to 9 (0 = healthy and 9 = dead; Plant Disease 92:581-587). At harvest,
eight roots per plot were also placed in a mesh-onion bag and kept in an indoor commercial storage facility (temperature set point
34°F) in Paul, ID on 18 Oct. On 11 Mar 24, after 145 days in storage, the roots were evaluated for the percentage of root surface area
covered by fungal growth or rot. Except for root ratings, data were analyzed in SAS (Ver. 9.4) using the general linear model (Proc
GLM) procedure, and Fisher’s protected least significant difference (α = 0.05) was used for mean comparisons. The root ratings were
analyzed in a nonparametric analysis as described by Shah and Madden (Phytopathology 94:33-43)
Short-term effects of a heavy dairy manure application on soil chemical and biological indicators in an irrigated semiarid cropping system
Full text linkIntensive dairy production in semiarid southern Idaho, USA, is often associated with the annual application of manure to cropland soils. However, a one-time heavy application of manure could alternatively be used as a means to improve soil fertility and health for many years or even decades, circumventing the need for frequent applications. To determine if this practice would negatively affect soil health in the short-term, we monitored biological and chemical properties for two years after incorporation of dairy manure solids at a rate of 103 Mg/ha (dry wt.). Soil properties measured were pH, electrical conductivity, extractable nitrogen (N) and phosphorus, total carbon (C) and N, enzyme activities, mineralizable N, soil organic C, soil protein, active C, ammonia oxidation potential, and particulate organic matter. Manure (with and without synthetic fertilizer) was found to significantly affect biological and chemical indicators in both topsoil (0-15 cm) and subsoil (15-30 cm), but the responses were greatest in the subsoil. This can be attributed to the fact that manure was incorporated to approximately 30 cm via moldboard plow. All indicators responded positively to manure, except in the case of pH, which decreased slightly in the subsoil in the first year after application. Principal components analysis of soil biological and chemical properties, across all years and depths, showed that the first two components explained 62% and 8.5% of the variance. While soil properties were not adversely affected by manure, silage corn yields in year one were significantly lower in manured plots, though in year two, barley grain yields were statistically similar among manure and fertilizer plots. Despite lower corn yields, a single heavy application of dairy manure can likely be recommended as a management strategy, but long-term affects on soil health do require evaluation
Host and shelter plants for the beet leafhopper which vectors curly top viruses and phytoplasmas in southern Idaho.
Full text linkWeeds and crop plants not only serve as reproductive hosts and transitory or shelter plants for the beet leafhopper (BLH; Circulifer tenellus) but also as sources of plant pathogens that can then be vectored by the BLH. Thus, the plants that the BLH are feeding on and infecting is of interest and may be changing over time. Therefore, BLH samples from a recent survey were investigated through DNA barcoding via the rbcL and matK chloroplast gene regions to determine what the BLHs had been feeding on prior to capture on yellow sticky cards in southern Idaho. In June both years, the first generation of BLHs predominately fed on Pinus spp. (59 to 76% of samples) which were likely in mountainous areas and dispersed approximately 48 to 80 km to crop and sagebrush steppe locations. During July to September, the BLH predominantly fed on Salsola spp. (Russian thistle; 61 to 66% of samples) and Bassia scoparia (Kochia; 15% of samples). Both years the BLHs that fed on pine had the highest percentage (55 and 75%, respectively) of samples with beet curly top virus based on primers that can detect both the Worland and Colorado strains. Both years, BLH that had fed on Russian thistle and alfalfa had the highest percentage of samples with Spinach curly top Arizona virus. This data will be utilized in the development of future curly top management plans
Effects of sugarbeet processing precipitated calcium carbonate on crop production and soil properties
Full text linkPrecipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) lime is a byproduct of sucrose extraction from sugar beet processing factories in Idaho. Each year 351,000 Mg PCC is produced and stockpiled at sugarbeet factories in Idaho. There are currently no viable disposal strategies for the PCC and these stockpiles continue to grow in size each year. The simplest solution would be to apply this PCC directly to agricultural fields each year, however the effects of PCC on high pH soils and southern Idaho crop rotations are not well understood. A study was conducted at the USDA-ARS laboratory in Kimberly, Idaho to determine the effects of PCC application to an alkaline silt loam soil on sugar beet, dry bean and barley production and soil properties. Three PCC treatments (rate and timing) and an untreated control were compared. The PCC had no effects on crop production factors and most soil properties. The only significant effect of PCC treatments was an increase in soil phosphorus (P) concentrations compared to the control. The PCC can serve as a P fertilizer. For all crops in this study, PCC was applied at rates that resulted in applied P levels that were 1.6 to 5.3 times greater than even the highest published recommended P rates. Compared to the control, bicarbonate soil P concentrations increased by 25% and 73% for the final PCC application amounts of 26.9 Mg per ha (6.7A treatment) and 89.7 Mg per ha (6.7A and 89.7T treatments), respectively. The PCC used in this study can safely be applied (at rates up to 87.9 Mg per ha) to heavier textured alkaline soils in the local growing area. Disposing of PCC in this way represents a viable strategy for reducing PCC stockpiles
ariable thermal crop water stress index reference temperatures for irrigated spring malt barley in a semi-arid climate
Full text linkApplication of canopy temperature-based crop water stress index (CWSI) for monitoring plant water stress and scheduling irrigation requires reliable estimation of well-watered (TLL) and non-transpiring (TUL) canopy temperatures under identical climatic conditions. A 3-year field study was conducted to develop and evaluate the use of data driven models to estimate TLL and TUL of irrigated spring malt barley. Five irrigation rates with four replicates each were used: full irrigation (FIT), 75, 50 and 25% of FIT and no irrigation. Three replicate continuous canopy temperatures measurements were taken in each irrigation treatment starting the first week in June ending in mid-July along with meteorological conditions. A feed forward neural network (NN) model was used to predict TLL between 13:00 and 15:00 MDT based on model inputs: solar radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed for the same period. A physical model calibrated to the data set was used to estimate TUL. The NN model predicted TLL was well correlated with measured TLL (R2 = 0.99) with root mean square error 0.89 degrees C and mean absolute error 0.70 degrees C. There were significant differences in calculated daily average CWSI between irrigation treatments. Relative evapotranspiration, relative malt barley seed yield and percent plump kernels were negatively correlated with season average CWSI. Malt barley seed test weight was positively correlated with season average CWSI. The relationship between daily average CWSI and fraction available soil water was well described by a two-parameter exponential decay function (R2 = 0.72). These results indicate applicability of data driven models for computing CWSI of irrigated spring malt barley in a semi-arid environment and demonstrate malt barley yield response to crop water stress