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Ecology and Epidemiology

Sugar Beet As a Symptomless Host for Corynebacterium sepedonicum. W. M. Bugbee, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, and adjunct professor, North Dakota State University, Fargo 58105; N. C. Gudmestad(2), G. A. Secor(3), and P. Nolte(4). (2)(3)(4)Assistant professor, Associate professor, and Research specialist, respectively, Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo 58105. Phytopathology 77:765-770. Accepted for publication 25 November 1986. This article is in the public domain and not copyrightable. It may be freely reprinted with customary crediting of the source. The American Phytopathological Society, 1987. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-77-765.

Corynebacterium sepedonicum (syn. Clavibacter michiganense subsp. sepedonicum) was recovered from within the roots of symptomless sugar beet plants that had grown in the field and from roots grown in soil that was artificially infested with C. sepedonicum. The sugar beet strains were identical to potato strains based on biochemical, pathological, and serological tests. Sugar beet strains caused ring rot symptoms of interveinal chlorosis and wilt of potato, eggplant, and tomato. Sugar beet was established as a symptomless natural host for C. sepedonicum.