Nighttime Applications of Germicidal UV Light to Suppress Cercospora Leaf Spot in Table Beet

Cercospora leaf spot (CLS), caused by the hemibiotrophic fungus Cercospora beticola, is a destructive disease affecting table beet. Multiple applications of fungicides are needed to reduce epidemic progress to maintain foliar health and enable mechanized harvest. The sustainability of CLS control is threatened by the rapid development of fungicide resistance, the need to grow commercially acceptable yet CLS-susceptible cultivars, and the inability to manipulate agronomic conditions to mitigate disease risk. Nighttime applications of germicidal UV light (UV-C) have recently been used to suppress several plant diseases, notably those caused by ectoparasitic biotrophs such as powdery mildews. We evaluated the efficacy of nighttime applications of UV-C for suppression of CLS in table beet. In vitro lethality of UV-C to germinating conidia increased with increasing dose, with complete suppression at 1,000 J/m². Greenhouse-grown table beet tolerated relatively high doses of UV-C without lethal effects despite some bronzing on the leaf blade. A UV-C dose >1,500 J/m² resulted in phytotoxicity severities greater than 50%. UV-C exposure to ≤750 J/m² resulted in negligible phytotoxicity. Older (6-week-old) greenhouse-grown plants were more susceptible to UV-C damage than younger (2- and 4-week-old) plants. Suppression of CLS by UV-C was greater when applied within 6 days of C. beticola inoculation than if delayed until 13 days after infection in greenhouse-grown plants. In field trials, there were significant linear relationships between UV-C dose and CLS control and phytotoxicity severity, and a significant negative linear relationship between phytotoxicity and CLS severity at the final assessment. Significant differences between UV-C doses on the severity of CLS and phytotoxicity indicated an efficacious dose near 800 J/m². Collectively, these findings illustrate significant and substantial suppression by nighttime applications of UV-C for CLS control on table beet, with potential for incorporation in both conventional and organic table beet broadacre production systems.