Cercospora beticola
Cercospora beticola is a fungal plant pathogen which typically infects plants of the genus Beta, within the family of Chenopodiaceae. It is the cause of Cercospora leaf spot disease in sugar beets, spinach and swiss chard. Of these hosts, Cercospora leaf spot is the most economically impactful in sugar beets (Beta vulgaris). Cercospora beticola is a deuteromycete fungus that reproduces using conidia. There is no teleomorph stage. C. beticola is a necrotrophic fungus that uses phytotoxins specifically Cercospora beticola toxin (CBT) to kill infected plants. CBT causes the leaf spot symptom and prevents root formation. Yield losses from Cercospora leaf spot are around 20 percent. Hosts and symptoms Hosts of Cercospora beticola include sugar beets (Beta vulgaris), swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L. subsp. cicla) and other leafy greens. Symptoms include the random distribution of spots with brownish red rings which eventually cause leaf collapse. Older leaves will have spots of larger diameters as rings grow outward. Conidia are not observable by the unaided eye Disease cycle Stromata (a sclerotia-like survival structure containing conidia when made) in field debris starts the life cycle. Under favorable wet conditions, conidia are rain-splashed and insect-carried to new hosts, where, under humid and wet conditions,