A novel biobased approach for managing root rot in sugar beet industry

The U.S. sugar beet industry contributes to 55-60% of the national sugar production and creates140000 jobs in over 20 states with ~$20B annual positive input to the economy. However with theongoing climate changes the industry is facing an increasing threat from a root rot disease knownas Rhizoctonia Crown and Root Rot (RCRR) caused by a fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia solanitogether with a bacterial pathogen Leuconostoc mesenteroides. The pathogens infect the crop inthe field and then degrade it and its sugar during storage. Additionally L. mesenteroides producesdextran during sucrose fermentation which plugs the factory filters leading to a severe drop inprocessing efficiency. Growers lose several millions of dollars of profits annually as a result. Thisproject aims to develop a biofungcide from an estuarine bacterium that can prevent RCRR.Preliminary data indicated that one bioactive component in the envisioned product could inhibitboth R. solani and L. mesenteroid and prevent RCRR in artificially infected roots. Hence phase Iwill characterize the bacterium's bioactive potential in greater detail and test the feasibility of theenvisioned product formulation in preventing RCRR in field conditions which will lead to thecommercialization of the innovation. Also it will pave the way for new applications of theinnovation to prevent root rot issues in other crops. This will expand Mycologics' product portfolioand strengthen the company's business model of entering into a product licensing agreement with aglobal Agricultural Technology company for faster market penetration.