Short communication. Relationships between soil properties and soilborne viruses transmitted by Polymyxa betae Keskin in sugar beet fields

Sugar beet plants (cv. Arosa), susceptible to rhizomania, were grown in 144 soil samples taken from sugar beet fields in north and central part of Turkey in 2004. Incidences of Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) and Beet soilborne virus (BSBV) by ELISA and of their vector Polymyxa betae by root staining method were determined in bait plants. Some soil properties such as, texture, pH, organic matter, cation exchange capacity, electrical conductivity, lime (CaCO3) and exchangeable Ca, Mg, K and Na contents were determined. Sand content and pH values of the soils gave significant positive correlations with P betae (0.177* and 0.164*, respectively). Lime (CaCO3) and exchangeable Mg contents had also significant positive correlations with soil pH. Increasing CaCO3 (0.189*) and exc. Mg (0.235**) content of soils induced BNYVV and BSBV infections respectively, transmitted by P betae, due to their increasing effects on soil pH.