Increased severity of Rhizoctonia root rot in sugar beet treated with systemic insecticides

Abstract

The systemic insecticides aldicarb 15G (15% granules) at 2·6 kg active ingredient (a.i.)/ha and phorate 1OG (10% granules) at 1·7 kg a.i./ha, applied as side dressings about 1 month after planting in 1979 and 1980, significantly increased the severity of root rot, caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kühn, in sugar beet ( Beta vulgaris L.). Carbofuran 10G (10% granules) at 2·2 kg a.i./ha also increased root rot, but not significantly. Numbers of harvestable roots were reduced by all treatments but significantly by phorate only. Both aldicarb and phorate were slightly fungistatic to R. solani when the pathogen was grown on potato-dextrose agar incorporating 0·5, 5·0, and 25 μg a.i./ml. Trichoderma sp., a potential antagonist of Rhizoctonia, was slightly inhibited by aldicarb and phorate initially, but soon overcame the effect. Thus, the increase in disease severity in the field may be attributable to some metabolic or physiological effect of the chemicals either on the host or on the infection process of the pathogen. Indiscriminate use of these insecticides should therefore be avoided in areas where root rot is prevalent but where insects are not a problem.