Sugar beet growers in eastern England have secured emergency authorization to use an additional pesticide treatment to protect the 2026 crop from virus yellows, a disease that industry groups say poses a significant threat to domestic sugar production.
The emergency approval, obtained by the National Farmers' Union (NFU) Sugar board and British Sugar with support from the British Beet Research Organisation (BBRO), allows a second application of the insecticide Insyst SG to control the peach-potato aphid, the primary vector of virus yellows. The disease is considered the most serious production threat facing the U.K.'s sugar beet sector, which is concentrated in Norfolk and Suffolk.
Industry representatives warned that aphid pressure this season is expected to reach its highest level since 2020, the first years following the European Union's ban on neonicotinoid seed treatments previously used to protect sugar beet crops. According to NFU Sugar Chairman Kit Papworth, virus yellows infected 38% of the national sugar beet crop in 2020, resulting in a 25% reduction in yields, with some farms reporting losses of up to 80%.
Under the terms of the authorization, growers may only apply Insyst SG after completing a three-spray program using fully approved active ingredients. The emergency use period runs from May 28 through August 1 and can only be triggered once specified aphid thresholds are reached. Farmers must also maintain detailed records covering aphid populations, virus incidence, treated acreage, application timing, and crop growth stages.
