Ecologically engineering a sustainable sugar beet landscape matrix informed by molecular tools, satellite imagery and bioeconomics.

Lead Research Organisation: CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY
Department Name: School of Water, Energy and Environment

Abstract

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Technical Summary

In England, sugar beet is grown on 100,000 ha of arable land, meeting half of domestic sugar demand. Yields are threatened by virus yellows (VY), comprising beet mild yellowing virus, beet chlorosis virus and beet yellows virus. These three viruses, all transmitted by the primary vector Myzus persicae, decrease the ability of the infected leaf to photosynthesize, therefore reducing yield. Given the recent 2022 derogation following our 'Rothamsted Model' forecast, the neonicotinoid seed treatment, Cruiser SB, has been authorised for use. Derogations are a temporary policy measure; our proposal looks to the future. We will address how the threats to sugar beet can be understood and mitigated.

We will develop a low cost, accurate LAMP assay to target all three virus types in the field and use this to quantify the number of effective 'non-crop' plant hosts that act as a virus reservoir for each virus type. We will estimate the weekly rate of virus spread under field conditions from a single inoculated source using field counts, hyperspectral drone technology and confirmatory LAMP assays, underpinning the next generation of models to provide more accurate forecasting and hence support better management decisions. The landscape matrix is key to understanding VY risk. Supported by a wealth of virus incidence data held by Rothamsted and using expertise at Cranfield, we will use satellite imagery to estimate the threat posed by the network of nearby oilseed rape crops and characterise the extent of field margins, a potential source of VY, measuring the spillover of VY into the adjacent crop. A bioeconomic model, led by Bristol, will be used to capture a grower's management decisions under different land use and payment options.

Our work is much needed. It will explain how the VY transmission pathway functions locally and at scale and will show how improved land use and crop rotation planning based on this knowledge could potentially reduce the virus risk.

Publications

10 25 50
 
Description Beet yellows virus (BYV) was detected earlier than the visual expression of viral infection using a multispectral drone.
Early detection of BYV within-field was possible using mNDBlue and to a lesser extent NDVI vegetation indices.
Exploitation Route With further refinement (e.g. segmentation and removal of background soil and tramlines) the methodology could be used to assess the spread of disease, which could help with future management decisions.
Sectors Agriculture

Food and Drink

 
Description BBRO attended the final meeting to observe what had been achieved in terms of sugar beet impacts. They were particularly impressed that we could detect yellowing before visual expression of viral infection at the field scale using multispectral imaging attached to a drone. They will seek to refine this this once our work has been published.
First Year Of Impact 2023
Sector Agriculture, Food and Drink
Impact Types Economic

 
Description BBRO drone surveillance over sugar beet trials 2022/23 
Organisation British Beet Research Organisation
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution We worked closely with the BBRO technical team designing and implementing the field data collections in 2022 and 2023 seasons, and refining the data collection methodologies.
Collaborator Contribution BBRO had previous practical experience in drone data collection over sugar beet fields, and they were able to respond quickly to reports of disease and provide in-field assistance in disease identification.
Impact BBRO were interested in the potential of the drone surveillance research (exploiting multispectral imagery) to improve early detection of Beet Yellows Virus (BYV). Reliable disease detection could provide the basis for effective management decisions.
Start Year 2022
 
Description Engagement and Poster Presentation at BeetTech23, Newark 7-Feb-2023, Newmarket 9-Feb-2023 Showgrounds 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact We had a stand at the sugar beet grower faced event, to represent the Rothamsted Insect Survey (RIS) and the Molecules to Landscape project both funded by BBSRC
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://bbro.co.uk/events/