Ames, Iowa
April 14, 2005
X.B. Yang, an Iowa State
University plant pathologist, received $389,000 to
coordinate sentinel soybean plots in 20 states. The funding
will be used to plant and monitor soybean plots and provide
an early warning system for Asian soybean rust.
"The goal of this project is to establish a monitoring and
early warning system to guide soybean producers in making
fungicide application decisions for Asian soybean rust
control," Yang said.
The North Central Soybean Research Program and the United
Soybean Board funded the two-year project, which started
April 1. Researchers in each state will plant 20 sites of
early maturing soybeans in 30-square-foot plots. The plots
will be scouted intensively and provide an early warning
system for growers.
"Soybean plants are more vulnerable to rust after flowering
and the sentinel plots will be planted with early maturing
varieties to alert researchers and producers if soybean rust
is present in the region," Yang said.
Iowa State
researchers began planting sentinel plots in Iowa last week.
Mark Honeyman, coordinator for the Iowa State research
farms, said 11 of Iowa's plots are located on Iowa State
research and demonstration farms.
"It's the perfect role for Iowa's public research farms and
it is exactly why we are here," Honeyman said. "This is an
excellent example of how a land grant university serves the
agricultural sector in the state."
Honeyman said the plots were planted early and will be
protected, if needed, from frost. The early planting will
provide an early-maturing crop that will be more susceptible
to soybean rust spores.
"We're going to special efforts to make this happen,"
Honeyman said. "These plots will be true sentinels and will
provide a warning system for Iowa's soybean growers similar
to the 'canary in the coal mine.'"
Asian soybean rust is an aggressive fungus that was first
detected in the United States in Louisiana in November 2004.
Yang said the spread of the disease in the United States is
dependent on the amount of soybean rust that survives the
winter in Gulf Coast regions and how quickly soybean rust is
carried from southern areas by winds.
Yang said
producers are currently limited to the use of fungicides to
manage soybean rust. If fungicides are applied too early or
too late, the application won't be effective. The sentinel
plots will help researchers monitor the movement of the
disease and allow producers to apply fungicides at the
appropriate time.
Honeyman said the public is welcome to visit Iowa's sentinel
plots located on research and demonstration farms near Ames,
Castana, Chariton, Crawfordsville, Fruitland, Greenfield,
Kanawha, Lewis, Nashua, Newell and Sutherland.
States participating in the project include Alabama,
Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Nebraska, North Dakota, Minnesota, Ohio, South Dakota,
Tennessee and Wisconsin.
|
