BAND-APPLICATION OF FUNGICIDES TO CONTROL RHIZOCTONIA CROWN AND ROOT ROT

Rhizoctonia crown and root rot (RCRR), caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG 2-2, is becoming a more frequent and widespread disease in the sugarbeet-growing regions of Minnesota and North Dakota. In this region, symptoms of RCRR typically begin after the last cultivation (near canopy closure, when soil is deposited in the crown) and continue to develop until harvest. As inoculum densities increase in soil, R. solani AG 2-2 also can cause dampingoff and early-season root rot. Integrated disease management strategies are available including sowing partially resistant varieties, using cultural practices (e.g., rotation with non-host crops, slow cultivation to avoid throwing soil into crowns), and applying fungicides.