G98-1348 Cercospora Leaf Spot of Sugar Beet

Eric D. Kerr, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

© 1998, The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska on behalf of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension. All rights reserved.

Abstract

This NebGuide describes the symptoms, factors favoring infection, prediction and control measures for Cercospora leaf spot of sugar beet.

Cercospora leaf spot, caused by the fungus Cercospora beticola, is the most serious leaf disease of sugar beet in western Nebraska. This disease has significantly reduced root and sugar yield in several production areas in the North Platte River Valley and was a major reason for the shift of sugar beet production from eastern Nebraska to other regions in the 1960s. Many vegetable and field crops and a wide range of weed species can serve as hosts for this fungus.