Dry conditions kept many sugarbeet diseases in check this year, but Cercospora leaf spot still developed in portions of the Red River Valley. “Cercospora leaf spot was active in areas of high humidity and high temperatures,” said Eric Branch, Extension sugarbeet pathologist, NDSU and University of Minnesota. “Even the fog and the dew contributed to leaf spot issues.” Branch said disease pressure was more noticeable from Fargo south into the Minn-Dak Farmers Co-op and Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative growing regions. Drought, however, had a larger impact on yield in areas that missed summer rainfall.
