Next generation sugar beet ‘one step closer’

The next generation of sugar beet tolerant to Virus Yellows disease could be commercially available in 2026 – helping to end reliance on neonicotinoid seed treatments.

Breeding companies across Europe and the UK are making good progress in the development of beet varieties tolerant to all three yellowing viruses, according to latest virus-inoculated field trials by the British Beet Research Organisation.

These varieties are expected to offer similar yields to conventional varieties but without the need for seed treatments to protect from the aphid vectors of VY. That said, foliar aphicides or other IPM interventions may still be needed to protect particularly susceptible crops.

Meanwhile, Defra has granted emergency permission for growers to use neonicotinoid treatments where needed to protect 2024 crops from Virus Yellows disease, while work continues on finding a long-term solution to the problem.

The seed treatment will only be used if a predetermined, independent threshold is met this month. This threshold will be met if a Rothamsted Research model predicts a 65% Virus Yellows infection across the national sugar beet crop, compared to a 63% threshold in 2023.

Strict controls

Any use of the seed treatment is subject to strict controls. These controls include restrictions on flowering crops being planted in the same field following seed-treated sugar beet. Growers must take part in knowledge exchange programmes.

Growers must also follow a strict stewardship programme to ensure best practice and that the conditions of the emergency authorisation are met on farm. In addition, the industry has jointly funded residue monitoring over the past couple of years.

British Sugar said it was continuing to work with plant breeders to improve natural resistance in the crop, innovation in on-farm techniques and grower practices, and research into how the industry can benefit from gene editing.

It added: “We look forward to understanding more about how we can use the results of this work for the benefit of our industry.”