Beet Storage Research Articles

ПРОГРАММНО-АЛГОРИТМИЧЕСКОЕ ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЕ ИНТЕЛЛЕКТУАЛЬНОЙ СИСТЕМЫ ТЕХНИЧЕСКОГО ЗРЕНИЯ ДЛЯ ОПРЕДЕЛЕНИЯ ПАРАМЕТРОВ КОРНЕПЛОДОВ САХАРНОЙ СВЕКЛЫ ПРИ СОРТИРОВКЕ ПЕРЕД УКЛАДКОЙ НА ХРАНЕНИЕ

The application of methods of long-term storage of sugar beet for a period of more than 2 months is justified. It has been found that small root crops are more susceptible to temperature fluctuations and relative humidity of the environment, which leads to a change in the partial pressure of water vapor between the surface of sugar beet and the surrounding air. During storage in a sugar beet mound, the relative humidity reaches from 90 to 95% due to the removal of moisture from the surface of root crops, which is a source of beet mass losses. The criteria for the size of sugar beet root crops have been determined. The necessity of creating a method for sorting trucks at the receiving point of sugar factories is shown. It was revealed that when determining the requirements for sugar beet entering storage, it is necessary to take into account, in addition to physical and chemical parameters, the value of the specific surface area of the root crop. Therefore, it is recommended to send large root crops weighing more than 570 g to kagats. The purpose of the article is formulated, which is to develop software and algorithmic support for determining the parameters of sugar beet root crops when sorting trucks. The process of distribution of trucks at the receiving point of sugar factories by man at the present time is described. A block diagram of the algorithm of the intelligent vision system program is presented and described. The features of the created software are described, such as working with sensors, processing software or hardware errors. According to the results of the study, an algorithm for the operation of the program and software of an intelligent vision system for determining the parameters of sugar beet root crops have been developed [1].

Sugar Beet Root Storage Properties Are Unaffected by Cercospora Leaf Spot.

Cercospora leaf spot (CLS; causal agent Cercospora beticola Sacc.) is endemic in many sugar beet production regions due to the widespread distribution of C. beticola and the inability of current management practices to provide complete control of the disease. Roots harvested from plants with CLS, therefore, are inevitably incorporated into sugar beet root storage piles, even though the effects of CLS on root storage properties are largely unknown. Research was conducted to determine the effects of CLS on storage properties including root respiration rate, sucrose loss, invert sugar accumulation, loss in recoverable sucrose yield, and changes in sucrose loss to molasses with respect to CLS disease severity and storage duration. Roots were obtained from plants with four levels of CLS severity in each of three production years, stored at 5°C and 95% relative humidity for up to 120 days, and evaluated for storage characteristics after 30, 90, and 120 days storage. No significant or repeatable effects of CLS on root respiration rate, sucrose loss, invert sugar accumulation, loss in recoverable sucrose yield, or change in sucrose loss to molasses were detected after 30, 90, or 120 days storage regardless of the severity of CLS disease symptoms. Therefore, no evidence was found that CLS accelerates sugar beet storage losses, and it is concluded that roots harvested from plants with CLS can be stored without additional or specialized precaution, regardless of CLS symptom severity.

Challenges with very long beet campaigns

The 2021 beet campaign in Zeitz, Germany, was the longest in the sugar factory’s history at 177 days, while the 2022 campaign was 144 days. Both campaigns faced challenges with beet storage and supply, as well as climatic conditions causing damage to harvested beets. These challenges resulted in a reduction in the purity and pH value of the raw juice, and increased lime salts and turbidity in the thin and thick juice. Südzucker AG, to which the Zeitz factory belongs, implemented several measures, including technological adjustments, the use of dextranase, increased washing cycles, and filter sleeve changes. The high juice volumes from the campaigns led to year-round sugar production but also required blending lower quality juices with good quality ones. The long production periods resulted in short shutdowns used for maintenance and investment measures.

Workflow for phenotyping sugar beet roots by automated evaluation of cell characteristics and tissue arrangement using digital image processing

BackgroundCell characteristics, including cell type, size, shape, packing, cell-to-cell-adhesion, intercellular space, and cell wall thickness, influence the physical characteristics of plant tissues. Genotypic differences were found concerning damage susceptibility related to beet texture for sugar beet (Beta vulgaris). Sugar beet storage roots are characterized by heterogeneous tissue with several cambium rings surrounded by small-celled vascular tissue and big-celled sugar-storing parenchyma between the rings. This study presents a procedure for phenotyping heterogeneous tissues like beetroots by imaging.ResultsTen Beta genotypes (nine sugar beet and one fodder beet) were included to establish a pipeline for the automated histologic evaluation of cell characteristics and tissue arrangement using digital image processing written in the programming language R. The identification of cells has been validated by comparison with manual cell identification. Cells are reliably discriminated from intercellular spaces, and cells with similar morphological features are assigned to biological tissue types.ConclusionsGenotypic differences in cell diameter and cell arrangement can straightforwardly be phenotyped by the presented workflow. The presented routine can further identify genotypic differences in cell diameter and cell arrangement during early growth stages and between sugar storage capabilities.

Prevention of the development of root on stage of post-harvest storage of sugar beet

This article is devoted to the study of the reasons for the decline in the quality of root crops during post-harvest storage in piles under the influence of harmful microflora. The subject of the research is the process of sugar beet storage in enterprises. The causes of sugar beet mass losses are analyzed. Mathematical models have been developed for the intensity of damage to root crops by the most common types of clamp rot. A description of an automated information system designed to maintain the normative parameters of the microclimate inside the piles by means of information technologies is given.

Uçucu Yağ Uygulamalarının Depolama Devresinde Şeker Pancarı (Beta vulgaris L.) Kalitesine Etkileri

This study was carried out in order to determine the effects of dill, clove and hyssop essential oils and fungicides applied on sugar beet roots on beet storage quality during the storage period. The roots of Esperanza (KWS) variety, which was produced in the experimental areas in 2019, were used in the study. Roots were treated with 100, 500 and 1000 ppm doses of dill (Anethum graveolens L.), clove (Szygium aromaticum) and hyssop (Echinophora tenuifolia) essential oils, synthetic fungicide (80% Thiram) and Tween-80 right after harvest and the roots were placed in the storage. Weight loss of roots determined at 15-day intervals from the beginning of the storage period, dry matter ratio, brix, polar sugar, reducing sugar and alpha amino nitrogen contents, phytotoxicity and fungal infection development at the end of the 3-month storage period. The applications made in the research significantly affected the post-harvest weight and quality losses in beet. Depending on the applications, the weight losses at the end of the 3-month storage period varied between 9.43-19.90%, and the weight losses in essential oil applications were lower than the control. The highest dry matter content and brix values were obtained from clove essential oil and fungicide and Tween-80 applications. While Tween-80 and fungicide applications increased the polar sugar content compared to the control, 1000 ppm clove essential oil caused a significant decrease in the polar sugar content. In the study, reducing sugar and alpha amino nitrogen contents of roots applied 1000 ppm essential oil E. tenuifolia essential oil were lower. E. tenuifolia essential oil showed the highest antifungal activity against white mold and green mold infections. It was concluded that with the application of essential oil to the roots after the harvest, both weight and quality losses and the development of fungal diseases can be reduced, however, some active substances may cause phytotoxicity in the roots.

Colletotrichum coccodes causing “black dot” of sugar beet in the Pacific Northwest of the USA

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) is an important sugar crop in temperate regions. In 2014, sugar beet roots in Washington and Oregon, U.S.A. were found with a shallow, firm, dark rot with minute black “dots” within the tissue (Figs. 1, 2), similar to “black dot” on potato (Davis & Johnson, 2001). Symptoms were observed in freshly harvested roots in the processing factory. Diseased tissue was surface disinfected with 10% bleach, plated on 2% water agar and incubated at room temperature with ambient lighting. All visible growth from ten tissue pieces (five per beet, one each from Washington and Oregon) was fungal, with hyaline mycelia and numerous dark, spherical sclerotia. Pure cultures were obtained by hyphal tip transfer to malt extract agar (MEA), incubated for seven days in the light at room temperature, and examined for morphological characteristics. Yellow spore clusters with dark setae were observed in culture. Conidia (20-25 × 3–4 µm) were hyaline and straight with evenly rounded ends (Fig. 3) matching those of Colletotrichum coccodes (Chesters & Hornby, 1965). For molecular characterisation, DNA was extracted from seven-day old cultures using a CTAB protocol (Anonymous, 2009). PCR amplification used an Invitrogen High Fidelity PCR mix (Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Waltham, USA) with primers ITS1 and ITS4 (White et al., 1990) and the resulting amplicons were sequenced by Sanger sequencing. A BLASTn search with the sequence of isolate Co14-1 (GenBank Accession No. KX011522) showed a 99% identity to CBS369.75 (HM171679), the type strain for C. coccodes (Cannon et al., 2012) as well as to additional C. coccodes isolates (JX294043, JX205194, JX205192, and KJ744346). As initial samples were found at harvest, healthy roots of two sugar beet germplasm (C869 and SR102) that had been grown in the field for five months at the Saginaw Valley Research and Education Center (Frankenmuth, Michigan, USA) were used for pathogenicity testing. After removal from the field, roots were kept at 7°C for one-two months then planted in potting mix and grown in a greenhouse at 22°C ±4°C. After growth of new leaves was visible, two plants of each germplasm were treated with a 10 ml drench of a 103 spores/ml suspension that was produced by growing isolate Co14-1 on MEA for seven-ten days, flooding the surface with sterile distilled water, and dislodging the spores with a sterile plastic cell spreader. Plants were grown for four weeks after inoculation and evaluated. Roots of inoculated plants showed shallow sunken lesions with minute black “dots” similar to those on the initial samples (Fig. 4). A fungus morphologically identified as C. coccodes was isolated from lesions on all inoculated beets, completing Koch's postulates. No Colletotrichum sp. was isolated from control beets. The trial was conducted twice with the same results. To our knowledge this is the first report of C. coccodes on sugar beet from the field. Although there was little root loss observed on beet, black dot infection can impact storage in potato (Davis & Johnson 2001). Therefore, testing the potential impact of black dot on storage of sugar beet is warranted. The authors would like to thank Tom Goodwill for his technical assistance.

Sugar industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan: current state and modernization reserves

The goal is to investigate the state and problems in the sugar industry in Kazakhstan. Methods – analysis of industry information from publicly available open sources, scientific literature, official materials of territorial administration, the Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan, industry experts and business entities. Results – the baseline is a conceptual model of a closed project for the northern and/or eastern regions of the country, which are characterized by significant acreage, cold autumn and winter periods, which contribute to a longer storage of sugar beets (with proper stacking of piles using forced ventilation systems). The necessity of a cluster approach to ensure sustainable d evelopment of sugar industry in the formation of a financial model is justified. Conclusions – the article presents material on world sugar production in 2019/2020, an overview of sugar product sub-complex in the republic, main beet-growing zones and their climatic conditions. Considering the problems of ensuring food security in Kazakhstan, it is noted that sugar market in Kazakhstan does not provide the industry and the population of the country with the necessary volumes. The proposed concept of the project for the northern and northeastern regions is visualized in the form of a block diagram. The authors note that there is experience in growing this crop in the North Kazakhstan and Pavlodar regions with more severe climatic conditions, in comparison with usual southern regions (Almaty and Zhambyl regions), which cannot be an obstacle to obtai ning products following the example of the Canadian company LanticRogers (Taber, Canada, Alberta).

Influence of cane and beet sugar for second fermentation on “fruity” aromas in Auxerrois sparkling wines

Traditional Method sparkling wine production requires a sugar addition to the base wine to initiate the second alcoholic fermentation in bottles. This study aimed to identify differences in “fruity” volatile aroma compounds (VOCs) in Traditional Method sparkling wines produced from the addition of either cane sugar or beet sugar to Auxerrois base wines. Wines underwent a second fermentation in bottles inoculated with IOC 18-2007 yeast and fermented at 15 °C. Standard chemical analysis was carried out on base wines and sparkling wines. The concentrations of fourteen “fruity” volatile aroma compounds representing five classes of compounds were analysed by Headspace-Solid-Phase Micro-Extraction-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). Cane and beet sugars were analysed in de-aromatised wine and distilled water to establish the concentrations of VOCs present in the sugar products prior to addition to wine. Wines were analysed on the day of inoculation and bottling and again after the second fermentation. Beet sugar significantly (Pt < 0.05) increased the concentration of linear fatty acid-derived ethyl esters (ethyl octanoate, ethyl hexanoate, and ethyl butyrate) compared to cane sugar in sparkling wine. These results are attributed to higher concentrations of medium-chain fatty acids found in beet sugar due to the duration of sugar beet storage prior to processing. Recommended future research includes monitoring aroma compounds during ageing on lees, sensory analysis, and an investigation of a wider range of sugar products permitted for use in sparkling wine production.

Magnetic Treatment of Sugar Beet to Reduce Weight Loss during Storage

Sugar beets are grown for sugar production. After harvesting, sugar beets are placed in closed storage for long-term storage. The main purpose of storage is to preserve sugar as much as possible in order to further ensure the profitability of processing beets for sugar. However, during storage of sugar beets, there is a rapid loss of moisture and weight. Beets, which have a weight loss of 13 … 17%, lose 5 times more sugar during storage than beets of good quality. One way to reduce the weight loss of sugar beet tubers is to use the magnetic field of a neodymium permanent magnet. Experimental studies on the treatment of sugar beet tubers with a magnetic field showed that the minimum weight loss of sugar beet tubers when treated with a negative magnetic field reached 15.3%, the minimum weight loss of sugar beet tubers when treated with a positive magnetic field reached 17.6%, and the weight loss of tubers sugar beet, not treated with a magnetic field, reached 25.6%. Thus, the nature of the influence of the magnetic field of a permanent neodymium magnet of positive and negative polarity on the weight loss of sugar beet tubers has been established.

Method for the safe storage of sugar beets using an ion-ozone mixture.

Sugar refineries cannot modernize the current processing technology and increase their capacity in proportion to the increasing harvest of raw beets. This entails an increase in the processing time. Sugar beets are not subject to long-term storage, and when they are stored in inappropriate conditions, root crops rot, resulting in sugar loss. The aim of this study is to increase the safety of beets during long-term storage before processing and to develop a device for its implementation which will lead to an improvement in the biological value of sugar beet root crops and an increase in the efficiency of technological processes. The experiment used sugar beets from the Koksu sugar plant and was carried out by treating sugar beets with an ion-ozone mixture to increase their shelf life. The treatment was carried out in an ion-ozone installation. Physicochemical and microbiological analyses were carried out using several methods: chemical extraction, potentiometry and photocolorimetry. The results of the study showed that when sugar beets were treated with ozone at a concentration of 0.5 g/m3 and 2 g/m3, the acidity decreased to 0.6 degrees, and the sugar content increased by 2.3% and 3.3%, respectively. When sugar beets were processed with an ozone concentration of 2 g/m3 and a molecular ion concentration of 1,000,000 units/cm3, a decrease in moisture was observed to 69%, the acidity decreased 2 times and the sugar content increased by 3%. When the beets were processed with an ozone concentration of 2 g/m3 and a molecular ion concentration of 1,000,000 units/cm3, a decrease in acidity was observed to 0.65-0.67 degrees, and the sugar content increased by 2-2.5%. Also, in all the above optimal processing conditions, a decrease in yeast growth was observed. As a result of the study, the following three optimal conditions were established for the processing of sugar beet root crops before storage: an ozone concentration of 0.5 g/m3 and 2 g/m3; an ozone concentration of 5 mg/m3 and molecular ions of 500,000 units/cm3; an ozone concentration of 2 g/m3 and molecular ions of 1,000,000 units/cm3.

Method for the safe storage of sugar beets using an ion-ozone mixture [pdf

Method for the safe storage of sugar beets using an ion-ozone mixture [pdf

Economic evaluation of the cost of treatment of infected sugar beets with application of electrophysical installations

The article discusses the effectiveness of the use of an ion-ozonizer for storing sugar beets. To determine the efficiency of storage of sugar beets in storage, we calculated the costs of traditional and ion-ozone processing. As a result, it was found that the economic efficiency of storing sugar beets using ion-ozone technology is 208 tg/t. Based on the calculated data, the ion-ozone technology for storing sugar beets was recommended, due to the fact that it was almost 2.6 times cheaper compared to traditional technology.

The Influence of the Process of Sugar Beet Storage on Its Biochemical Methane Potential

The manner of storage of sugar beets largely influences their physical and chemical properties, which may subsequently determine their biochemical methane potential. In this study, samples of fresh sugar beets as well as beets stored in two ways—in airtight conditions and in an open-air container—were tested. In both cases, measurements were taken on specific dates, i.e., after 4, 8, 16 and 32 weeks of storage. A decrease in pH was observed in all samples, with the lowest decrease occurring in hermetically stored samples. The lowest pH value of 3.71 was obtained for sugar beets stored in an open-air container after 32 weeks of storage. During storage, a gradual decrease in total solids was also recorded along with accompanying losses of organic matter, more significant in the case of storage in an open-air container. In subsequent storage periods, the biogas/methane production efficiency differed slightly for both methods. The highest volume of biogas was obtained for fresh sugar beets—148.23 mL·g−1 fresh matter (FM)—and subsequently in the 8th and 16th weeks of storage: 139.35 mL·g−1 FM (H—airtight conditions) and 144.14 mL·g−1 FM (O—open-air container), and 147.58 H mL·g−1 FM (H) and 148.22 mL·g−1 FM (O), respectively. The storage period affected the time of anaerobic decomposition of the organic matter—fresh sugar beets took the longest to ferment (26 days), while the material stored for 32 weeks took the shortest to ferment. In the experiment, the content of selected organic compounds in individual samples, i.e., sugar, methanol, ethanol, lactic acid and acetic acid, was also analysed. Within these results, significant differences were found between the samples stored using the two different methods. A high content of sugar, methanol, ethanol and other chemical compounds in the “O” materials showed the hydrolysis and acidogenesis processes taking place in an open-air container, with the participation of catalytic microorganisms.

Technological aspects of the beet yard operation

The beet yard operation comprises the handling of sugar beets after they are received on site up to the beet hopper. It is not intended here to present a detailed description of all the individual steps involved, but rather to focus on the main technological objectives of the beet yard operation: sufficient removal of soil from the beets while limiting the associated (unavoidable) sugar loss as much as possible. Parameters considered are: – Washing requirements for beets from heavy (clay) soil versus beets with easy to remove light (sandy) soil; – On site beet storage, as well as dry or wet beet intake; – Sugar losses in different steps of beet washing and impact of retention time; – Residual soil adhering to the beets after washing and HCl-insoluble ash in pulp.

Preservation of technological qualities of sugar beet during harvesting and storage of sugar beet is the key for obtaining sugar of high quality categories

Preservation of technological qualities of sugar beet during harvesting and storage of sugar beet is the key for obtaining sugar of high quality categories

Microbiome-driven identification of microbial indicators for postharvest diseases of sugar beets

BackgroundSugar loss due to storage rot has a substantial economic impact on the sugar industry. The gradual spread of saprophytic fungi such as Fusarium and Penicillium spp. during storage in beet clamps is an ongoing challenge for postharvest processing. Early detection of shifts in microbial communities in beet clamps is a promising approach for the initiation of targeted countermeasures during developing storage rot. In a combined approach, high-throughput sequencing of bacterial and fungal genetic markers was complemented with cultivation-dependent methods and provided detailed insights into microbial communities colonizing stored roots. These data were used to develop a multi-target qPCR technique for early detection of postharvest diseases.ResultsThe comparison of beet microbiomes from six clamps in Austria and Germany highlighted regional differences; nevertheless, universal indicators of the health status were identified. Apart from a significant decrease in microbial diversity in decaying sugar beets (p ≤ 0.01), a distinctive shift in the taxonomic composition of the overall microbiome was found. Fungal taxa such as Candida and Penicillium together with the gram-positive Lactobacillus were the main disease indicators in the microbiome of decaying sugar beets. In contrast, the genera Plectosphaerella and Vishniacozyma as well as a higher microbial diversity in general were found to reflect the microbiome of healthy beets. Based on these findings, a qPCR-based early detection technique was developed and confirmed a twofold decrease of health indicators and an up to 10,000-fold increase of disease indicators in beet clamps. This was further verified with analyses of the sugar content in storage samples.ConclusionBy conducting a detailed assessment of temporal microbiome changes during the storage of sugar beets, distinct indicator species were identified that reflect progressing rot and losses in sugar content. The insights generated in this study provide a novel basis to improve current or develop next-generation postharvest management techniques by tracking disease indicators during storage.

Storage of primed pelleted sugar beet seed with minimal loss of seed vigour and active ingredients

Different seed storage methods, varying in storage temperature, moisture and/or oxygen content, were applied to commercial sugar beet seed lots from four breeding companies. After storage for 10–11 months, germination of the seed was tested in the laboratory (cold test, 10°C). In addition, the contents of active ingredients (fungicides and insecticide) were analyzed and compared with the initial contents before storage. Based on these results, a selection of the most promising storage methods was made to test plant emergence in a field experiment. This research was performed in 2015/16 and in 2016/17. In both years, two storage treatments outperformed the others: these were storage in a closed jar with the addition of moisture absorber (i.e. silica gel) at room temperature and storage at –18°C in a closed plastic bag. Using these two storage methods, seed vigour and contents of active ingredients were comparable to those in seed that had not been stored for one year. Based on the results from this study, the advice to growers for a successful storage of residual sugar beet seed was adjusted in 2017, after including some practical guidelines and considerations.

Technological qualities of root crops and economic efficiency of growing sugar beet hybrids by the KWS company in the conditions of "Rasavske" Ltd. of Kaharlyk district, Kiev region

The paper deals with the results of research on the study of the technological traits changes in foreign hybrids root crops of the KWS company sugar beet enterprises under the influence of long-term storage and their economic efficiency. The conducted researches are especially relevant due to insufficiently studied issues of changes in the technological traits of the root crops of the newest hybrids during their storage in the crutches on the field or at the sugar factory. Estimation of new hybrids of sugar beet by regions of the Forest-steppe allows to predict the genetically determined degree of their plasticity and stability both in the yield and the quality. Hybrids with higher resistance to extreme temperatures are especially valuable. The researches were carried out during 2014–2015 at the "Rasavske" Ltd. of Kaharlyk district, Kyiv region. The sugar content in the root crops increased from 1.6% in the Alyona hybrid to 5.9 % in the Daria hybrid and 6.1 % in the Coryda hybrid, due to the loss of moisture during their prolonged storage. The content of soluble dry matter in the root crops increased from 1.7 % in the Alyona hybrid to 7.7 % in the Coryda hybrid for the same reason. The conducted calculations of cell juice quality showed that long-term storage resulted in the highest growth of this indicator by 8.2 % in the Cesaria hybrid and by 7.5 % in the Acatsia hybrid. In the Alyona hybrid, the growth rate of cell juice quality was only 0.8 %, while the Corida hybrid had the quality of the previous level. In the Olesya hybrid, this indicator decreased by 1.8 % compared with the previous determination period (October 10). The costs of growing root crops ranged from 17,859 to 20,726 UAH/ha. The highest profit was 17435 UAH/ha and the profitability level was 86.3 % for the Alyona hybrid, while the lowest economic efficiency figures were for the profit of 10,201 UAH/ha and the profitability level of 53.7 % in the Carmelite hybrid. The highest rates of the technological traits of root crops during the long-term storage of sugar beet were determined in the Alyona hybrid. The highest yield of root crops was in the Daria hybrid – 79.8 t/ha. According to the indicators of economic efficiency the Alona hybrid was the best in terms of profit (17,435 UAH/ha) and the profitability level of 86.3 %. Key words: sugar beet, hybrids, productivity, yield, sugar content, technological traits, profit, profitability level.

Incidence, Distribution, and Pathogenicity of Fungi Causing Root Rot in Idaho Long-Term Sugar Beet Storage Piles.

Fungal rots in sugar beet roots held in long-term storage can lead to considerable sucrose loss but the incidence and distribution of fungal rots inside sugar beet piles and pathogenicity for some species is poorly understood. Thus, Idaho sugar beet held in five outdoor and two indoor piles in 2014 and 2015 were investigated. The root surface area covered by fungal growth and discolored and healthy tissue were assessed in nine 1-m2 areas per pile using a stratified random sampling design. Pathogenicity was evaluated indoors via plug inoculation in 2015 and 2016. Botrytis cinerea covered more root surface area inside indoor piles (6 to 22%) than outdoor piles (0 to 3%) (P < 0.0001). No trends were evident for the Athelia-like sp. (0 to 15%) and Penicillium-type spp. (0 to 8%). Penicillium-type isolates comprised the following species: 60% Penicillium expansum, 34% P. cellarum, 3% P. polonicum, and 3% Talaromyces rugulosus. Trace levels (<1% of root surface) of other fungi, including Cladosporium and Fusarium spp., were evident on roots and in isolations. Based on sample location in a pile, there were no trends or differences; however, two outdoor piles (OVP1 and OVP2) had more healthy tissue (90 to 96%) than other piles (28 to 80%) (P < 0.0001). When the pathogenicity tests were analyzed by species, all were significantly different from each other (P < 0.0001), except for P. polonicum and P. expansum: B. cinerea (61 mm of rot), P. polonicum (36 mm), P. expansum (35 mm), P. cellarum (28 mm), Athelia-like sp. (21 mm), T. rugulosus (0 mm; not different from check), and noninoculated check (0 mm). The OVP1 and OVP2 piles had negligible fungal growth on roots after more than 120 days of storage under ambient conditions, which indicates that acceptable storage can be achieved over this time period through covering piles with tarps and cooling with ventilation pipe.