Additional fungicidal treatment of beets against cercosporosis — is it necessary and when, advise Polish experts

On most sugar beet crops, 2 or 3 fungicide treatments have already been carried out. Despite this, beet cercosporosis continues to spread actively, gradually affecting more leaves. Rain and humidity further contribute to the spread of the pathogen. Thus, the question arises: is it worth applying another fungicide treatment, writes Farmer.pl. Beet leaf cercosporosis (Cercospora beticola) appears on crops in Poland every year. In recent seasons, the disease pressure has been very high, forcing producers to carry out two to five protective treatments. "A common mistake among many farmers is applying the first treatment too late. In recent years, cercosporosis has appeared increasingly earlier—not only in July but even in the first decade of June (as in 2024). This has forced farmers to change their approach to protection and significantly extended the treatment period, resulting in the number of treatments reaching four to five, especially for late harvests and sensitive varieties," ...