Diseases of Table Beet

Table beet, Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris L., is an important vegetable that has experienced a renaissance of popularity since 2010. The roots are traditionally grown primarily for processing into cans and jars, but value-added snack foods, juices, and novel uses in specialty drinks are also becoming more common. Table beets are also a popular commodity for fresh market vegetable production and may be sold for either the roots, greens, or both. Table beet production is affected by a broad range of foliar and soilborne diseases. Many of these diseases can also affect sugar beet production. A complex of fungal diseases together affects foliar growth and health, resulting in a reduction of quality of the tops, making them unsuitable for sale and for machine harvesters that pull up the roots using the tops, and in some cases, reducing root growth. Soilborne diseases caused by broad host range plant-pathogenic fungi and fungus-like pathogens also complicate management. Table beets are produced using organic and conventional practices in a broad range of systems from large-acre to small farms. Some of the diseases are equally deleterious to both organic and conventional production, such as Cercospora leaf spot. Some diseases, such as black leg, that have been negligible for many years in conventional production are rising again in prominence due to the lack of tools available for control in organic production. Disease management strategies therefore need to be tailored to individual systems.