Management of Severe Curly Top in Sugar Beet with Insecticides.

Curly top, caused by Curtovirus spp., is a widespread disease problem vectored by the beet leafhopper in semiarid sugar beet production areas. The insecticide seed treatment Poncho Beta has proven to be effective in controlling curly top in sugar beet but was only evaluated under light to moderate disease pressure. Thus, the insecticide seed treatments Poncho Beta, NipsIt INSIDE, and Cruiser Force were evaluated under severe curly top pressure (six viruliferous beet leafhoppers per plant) in field studies during the 2010 and 2011 growing seasons on two commercial sugar beet cultivars. In addition, the foliar insecticides Movento, Provado, and Scorpion were also evaluated. The seed treatments and Scorpion reduced curly top symptoms by 33 to 41% (P < 0.0001) and increased root yield by 55 to 95% (P < 0.0001), sucrose content by 6.5 to 7.2% (P = 0.0013 to <0.0001), and estimated recoverable sucrose by 58 to 96% (P < 0.0001) when compared with the untreated check. Movento and Provado did not improve control beyond that provided by Poncho Beta. Even under severe disease pressure 50 to 55 days after planting, neonicotinoid seed treatments can effectively reduce curly top, increase yield, and help protect against early-season insect pest pressure.