Future challenges in sugar beet crop protection: challenges and opportunities! Dr Mark Stevens Lead scientist BBRO

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1 Future challenges in sugar beet crop protection: challenges and opportunities! Dr Mark Stevens Lead scientist BBRO British Society of Sugar Technologists 7 th April 2016

2 British Beet Research Organisation Non-profit making company set up jointly by British Sugar plc (BS) and the National Farmers' Union (NFU). The objective of the BBRO is to commission and implement research and technology transfer to increase the competitiveness and profitability of the UK beet sugar industry in a sustainable and environmentally acceptable manner.

3 Ensuring future UK sugar beet yields Ensuring high yielding UK varieties Yield progression Weather/climate Yield stability rotation Harvest & storage EU policy changes to pesticides

4 Sugar beet pests & diseases Virus yellows Powdery mildew rhizomania Developing strategies against sugar beet pathogens of key importance to the UK

5 Key factors influencing future crop protection: Impact of European regulation on pesticides (more with less?) Pathogen adaptation or resistance New disease threats Implications of climate change Lack of development of crop protection chemicals (especially for sugar beet e.g. aphid control) What do we want in future resistant varieties in UK? Exploitation and acceptance of resistant varieties using all available technology Think rotation - not just this year s crop!

6 Old enemies Aphids/virus yellows Foliar diseases Nematodes Rhizomania

7 New threats: Stemphylium

8 ED impact assessments for beet BBRO provided impact assessments of potential plant protection product losses:

9 BBRO Crop Protection programme Viruses Foliar Diseases Crop stability Nematodes Root Rots

10 Virus Yellows Aerial view of symptoms At least 3 viruses involved. Yield loss = up to 49% Worldwide distribution. No commercially resistant varieties. In 2015, 99% of UK crop protected with neonicotinoid seed treatments Preventing yield losses up to 24M in high risk years.

11 Virus Yellows remains a threat to the EU: Resistance (MACE, kdr, neonicotinoid) But also: Narrow choice of approved products for beet Lack of new/novel active ingredients Changing (enforced) insecticide use in other arable crops Climate change mild winters? Political pressures

12 Neonicotinoids and on-going political pressures

13 Virus Transmission Myzus persicae

14 Prevalence of yellowing viruses across Europe Poleroviruses closterovirus

15 Options for control Current Removal of sources of infection Seed treatments Decision Support General farm hygiene Risk maps Chemicals applied as: Granules at drilling Risk maps +Forecast Provisos: Conserve aphid predators Beware resistant aphids Post-emergence Forecasts + Spray sprays Warning Scheme

16 Modelling virus yellows in sugar beet dy dt Winter temperature Growth stage (planting date) ( rpp(1 Y) rsy (1 Y)) z( t) Q( x) G( x) Seed treatment Qi, A., Dewar, A.M. and Harrington, R. (2004) Pest Management Science 60,

17 Virus Yellows Forecast for 2015 Factory Area Option Virus yellows (%) on Sowing Dates of 15 March 30 March 15 April Intended use of insecticide treated seed* Mean Temperature (Jan/Feb) Bury No Pest Control + Pest Control % 4.1ºC Cantley No Pest Control + Pest Control % 4.9ºC Wissington No Pest Control + Pest Control % 4.1ºC Newark No Pest Control + Pest Control % 4.7ºC *source: British Sugar

18 Incidence of virus yellows in sugar beet 100 Model estimates with PM Model estimates without PM >50% crop protected by neonicotinoid Year seed treatments

19 BBRO Fungicide Trial: Lincolnshire

20 New BBRO projects: Working in partnership with BBRO team to study: Source of infection/re-infection by rust & mildew (Matthew Clark et al. TGAC)

21 Ash Dieback disease Prof. Allan Downie Nornex consortium The Genome Analysis Centre 21

22 Aims Quantify the diversity within UK mildew and rust populations Determine the source of infection via agricultural and wild samples Identify the effects of fungicidal application on pathogen genetic diversity.

23 44 Wild samples Sampled along 582km coastline Hessle foreshore to Southend-on-Sea B. vulgaris B. v. maritima Rust Mixed Mildew 60 Agricultural samples Covering 20,000km 2 Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire Norfolk, Suffolk & Essex

24 PhD studentship: Understanding plant/bcn interactions Alistair Wright Debbie Sparkes

25 Beet cyst nematode: severe infection 6% of beet land identified with BCN from recent BBRO surveys

26 1. Water uptake limitations Exploiting latest technologies 5 cm X 15 cm 20 cm X 150 cm

27 Real-time 1. Water uptake visualisation limitations of roots (& BCN) Courtesy: Dr Jenny Bussell

28 New initiatives BBRO levy: leveraging to deliver greater opportunities and yield potential post 2017

29 InnovateUK (TSB) Call

30 UK Innovate (TSB) opportunities Leveraging BBRO R&D levy to maximise and facilitate new/high priority project areas to protect the UK crop and its yield potential: Collaborations between BBRO, Institutes, Universities and Industry Harnessing skills within biological sciences, engineering and telecommunications communities.

31 TSB Project 1 SporeID (Innovative disease monitoring and diagnostics for improved efficiency of crop production) Three Year project BBRO project lead Total cost: 1.41M

32 IDSPORE

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34 TSB Project 2 A novel pre-breeding strategy to reduce dependence on insecticides for virus yellows control in sugar beet Five Year project BBRO project lead Total cost: 1.14M

35 TSB Project 2 Project Aim: To develop host protection against the virus yellows complex in sugar beet To identify and introgress broad spectrum resistance of the virus yellows complex into elite sugar beet material for future breeding programmes To develop sugar beet hybrids tolerant to virus yellows and determine yield benefit for variety development

36 Virus Yellows trial 2015

37 Ch I, Ch II, Ch III, Ch IV, Ch VI QTL

38 Crop protection research focus: Neonicotinoids (what next if lost?) Exploitation of tolerant/resistant varieties Maximising return from fungicides (impact of EU restrictions?) Novel weed control Surveillance and modelling risks of new or existing pests and diseases

39 December 2015 temperature equivalent to April or May!!

40 Conclusions Arable sector to face significant challenges with potential PPP restrictions Will need all possible control options/new technologies for limiting impact of pests, diseases and weeds in sugar beet Sugar beet has great record of exploiting tools and technologies to promote yield New BBRO projects to support further yield protection and enhancement.

41 What are the challenges for the future? Area Manager Update Mark Stevens 4/6/2014

42 Thank You for your attention