In pot and field experiments carried out in 1979-1981, the systemic funqicide hymexazol prevented satisfactorily soil borne damping-off of sugar beet caused mainly by the fungus Pythium debaryanum auct. non Hesse. The results with the combination hymexazol + thiram were still better. This treatment gave very good protection against the disease up to about two to three weeks after emergence, increased the yield on the average by 5-10 % and produced considerably thicker and denser stands. Thereafter a large number of beets may have become infected, but no great damage was caused as only few died. Band spraying at emergence using hymexazol with a large amount of water as well as spraying into the seed furrow prevented the outbreak of the disease almost completely. Liming had little effect on damping-off.
