Hosna: Monogerm Sugar Beet Cultivar with Dual Resistance to Rhizomania and Cyst Nematode

Sugar beet cultivation faces significant challenges from diseases such as rhizomania and cyst nematode, both in Iran and globally. The most effective and straightforward approach to mitigate the damage caused by these diseases is the use of resistant varieties. The Hosna cultivar was developed after extensive preliminary and advanced research. This variety was produced by crossing a pollinator inbred line from the SB27 population, which carried resistance genes for both rhizomania and cyst nematode, with a monogerm single cross maternal line. A value-for-cultivation and use (VCU) test was conducted in Hamadan, Mashhad, Shiraz, and Miandoab under rhizomania-infected conditions and in Karaj under non-infected conditions to evaluate this variety's performance. Simultaneously, the resistance of the hybrids to cyst nematode was evaluated in another experiment under controlled conditions (greenhouse). The results showed the superior performance of Hosna cultivar, which produced an average white sugar yield of 11.52 tha-1, outperforming the foreign control variety Azare (11.36 tha-1) and the domestic control varieties Shokoufa and Arta (10.19 and 10.12 tha-1, respectively). However, no significant difference was found between Hosna and the foreign control Rosier (12.02 tha-1). Hosna is a diploid monogerm cultivar, resistant to both rhizomania and cyst nematode, and suitable for spring cultivation across various regions of the country. In addition to its disease resistance, this cultivar has a high potential for sugar yield.