Integrated central of soilborne diseases of sugar beet with antagonistic bacteria and fungicide seed treatments

In two years of field studies, 4 Bacillus sp. used in combination with seeds treated either with Apron-Thiram or with Apron-Thiram-Taehigaren provided increased stands and sucrose yields by controlling Pythium damping-off or Aphanomyces black root when compared to the fungicides applied alone. In 1998, 3 field trials were done in Montana using commercial formulations on seed pelleted by Seed Systems Inc. Stands where bacteria were combined with the seed treatment fungicides were increased over either Apron-Thiram or Apron-Thiram-Tachigaren in all locations at 4 and 8 weeks after planting and at harvest. In 1998, yield of untreated plots averaged 8067, Apron-Thiram 8250, Aprom-Thiram-Tachigaren 8616, bacteria plus apron-Thiram 8994 and bacteria pi us Apron-Thiram-Tachigaren 9089 Ibs of sucrose/A. Percentage sucrose content was not influenced by seed treatment.