2005 Year in Review

Illinois Soybean Rust Action Plan

Source: Julie Toohill, 309/663-7692

The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) and Illinois Soybean Checkoff Board (ISCB) have received confirmation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) that Asian Soybean Rust (Phakopsora pachyrhizi), has been discovered in Baldwin County, Alabama. This announcement closely follows the second confirmation of rust on soybean plants in Florida.

To date, rust has been confirmed on soybeans in Seminole County, Georgia, Marion County in Florida, and now in Baldwin County, Alabama. Six counties in Florida have confirmed rust on kudzu. Both the Florida and Alabama discoveries were made in sentinel plots that were developed with USDA and soybean checkoff funding. The Georgia confirmation was made on volunteer soybeans that have since been destroyed. Baldwin County is in the area where Tropical Storm Arlene made landfall in early June. Rust forecasters had warned that this storm had the potential to spread spores of the airborne fungus into new areas of the U.S. soybean belt.

According to ISCB Research Chair, Ken Dalenberg, a farmer from Mansfield, IL, "The soybean checkoff, at both the state and national level, was instrumental in setting up the sentinel plot system and has worked closely with the USDA, the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA), universities, and industry partners in establishing and monitoring these plots." The sentinel plots, planted early in the growing season or with early maturing varieties so they will develop and show susceptible systems to the rust fungus before surrounding soybean fields do, serve as an early warning system, giving farmers time to treat for the disease. Thirty-eight of these sentinel plots are located in Illinois. These plots are located on both public and private land and are being scouted for the presence of rust at least once a week. Results of the scouting efforts can be viewed on the Internet at USDA Soybean Rust Information.

Illinois has a Rust Action Plan in place, and if you suspect soybean rust in your fields you need to follow these steps: 1) Collect 20 suspect leaf samples and place them between two dry paper towels. Put the leaves and paper towels into a doubled plastic Ziploc bag. Label the bag with your name, phone number, location of the field, and collection location within the field. 2) Immediately submit the samples to the University of Illinois’ Distance Diagnostics through Digital Imaging (DDDI) system at your local Extension office. 3) If the sample warrants further investigation it will be sent to the University of Illinois Plant Clinic for further testing. Funds for testing are provided by the soybean checkoff if growers follow these steps. While the dry conditions in the state certainly do not create an ideal environment for soybean rust, growers should still be diligent in scouting and should closely watch a rust forecast such as the one found at USDA Soybean Rust Information.

Funded by the Illinois Soybean Checkoff Board / Managed by the Illinois Soybean Association.

by  Editor, theCity1.com
July 11, 2005