Cercospora Leaf Spot Disease of Sugar Beet

Cercospora leaf spot disease is one of the most important foliar diseases of sugar beet. Over one third of the sugar beet cultivation areas of the world has been affected by this disease. Cercospora beticola is the causal agent of this disease and a high level of interspecific variation of its morphology and genetics has been reported. Disease management is mainly achieved by a combination of cultural practices, cultivation of resistant varieties and application of fungicides. Due to the economic importance of the disease in Iran, some of the different aspects of Cercospora leaf spot disease, including the introduction of disease as well as the biology of the fungus, disease cycle and the efficient measures of disease management, has been reviewed in this paper.