Sugar Beet Pests (Diseases And Insects) During The Last Two Decades In Egypt

M.M.A. El-Kholi, Sugar Crops Research Institute, ARC, 12619 Giza, Egypt
E-mail: el_kholi@yahoo.com

Abstract

Under Egyptian environmental conditions, sugar beet plants are subjected to attack by numerous pests (diseases & insects) during germination, emergence or juvenile growth causing considerable economic losses (individual plants up to 70 %) in total production. Sugar beet seedling stage (30–45 days) is threatened by several diseases (fungal pathogens, i.e., Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium spp., Pythium spp., Scleroium rolfsii, Phoma betae) causing pre- and post-emergence damping-off, and seedling blight (black leg), while certain pests i.e., wireworms, mole crickets, cutworms, birds, rats and leaf eaters, such as Spodoptera littoralis and Spodoptera exigua are attack seedlings causing losses in the total stand in the field. Meanwhile, sugar beet foliage (45-210 days) are attacked by numerous pests (diseases & insects). Cercospora leaf spot, Powdery mildew and beet rust are the major diseases in sugar beet plantation. While Cassida vittata, Pegomyia mixta, Scrobipalpa ocellatella, Temnorhinus brevirostris and European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) are the major insects. The Integrated Crop and Pest Management (ICPM) is important to reduce the losses and increase sugar beet productivity.