Remnants of hurricanes have farmers on the lookout for Asian soybean rust after late June confirmations of the potentially devastating disease in Alabama and Florida. The path of these storms could be carrying soybean rust spores further inland from the Gulf Coast. The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) soybean rust surveillance system, accessible online through www.usda.gov/soybeanrust, reports that new depositions of soybean rust spores are possible in much of the southeastern United States and as far north as southern Illinois and Indiana, with light deposition in the southern Great Lakes region. July is also the month noted as the most favorable period for the nationwide spread of soybean rust. The soybean checkoff, USDA and various other federal and state organizations are encouraging farmers to step up their scouting efforts in the search for signs of soybean rust.

“We’re all working hard to help out fellow farmers,” said Greg Anderson, United Soybean Board (USB) Chairman and Newman Grove, Neb., soybean farmer. “That’s our focus, and the soybean checkoff has developed several resources to help farmers, including the Soybean Rust Management Guide, which is now available at unitedsoybean.org and stopsoybeanrust.com.” According to X.B. Yang, Ph.D., and Alison Robertson, Ph.D., of Iowa State University and contributors to the book, Using Foliar Fungicides to Manage Soybean Rust, farmers should examine soybeans plants down into the canopy with attention given to the undersides of leaves, where rust pustules may appear. Examination of several sites throughout a field is necessary, and farmers should not restrict scouting to the edges of their fields.

Special attention should be given to low-lying areas, areas where moisture collects and areas with poor air circulation. Farmers should also target areas of fields where distinct yellowing or browning is visible. Prolonged dew periods, frequent rain and irrigation may call for increased scouting. A PDF version of Using Foliar Fungicides to Manage Soybean Rust is available online at oardc.ohio-state.edu/StopRust. According to USDA, farmers should contact their extension service for additional guidelines on soybean rust scouting in their state. If soybean rust is suspected, farmers should work quickly with their local extension service to collect samples to get an accurate diagnosis.

“The key to managing soybean rust is early identification of the disease, which leads to timely treatment with appropriate fungicides,” said Jim Sallstrom, USB Production Chair and Winthrop, Minn., soybean farmer. “Farmers need to know what they’re up against in order to protect their crop.”

Farmers can also use online maps that monitor the spread of soybean rust and provide forecast information at usda.gov/soybeanrust. The site includes an observation map with color-coded areas that have been scouted and shows the location of confirmed cases of the disease. A forecast map is also available that tracks the possible deposition of soybean rust spores based on weather conditions. A very detailed, up-to-date written forecast is also provided. This monitoring system was developed through the cooperative efforts of the USDA, the USB and various state and federal organizations. Additional soybean rust resources, including links to other soybean-rust-related sites, are available at unitedsoybean.org.

The USB is made up of 64 farmer-directors who oversee the investments of the soybean checkoff on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers. As stipulated in the Soybean Promotion, Research and Customer Information Act, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soybean checkoff.