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FRANKFORT, Ky. — Soybean rust has not been identified in Kentucky or any of its neighboring states this year. State officials and University of Kentucky researchers say producers need to stay vigilant for signs of the disease.
“I urge soybean growers to look over their crops frequently for any signs of soybean rust,” Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer said. “Stay in touch with your Extension agent and crop consultant. You also can get updates from crop newsletters and check the soybean rust Web site, www.sbrusa.net, to monitor the progress of this disease throughout the country.”
Soybean rust has been confirmed in kudzu in five counties in Florida and on volunteer soybean plants in one southern Georgia county. Farmers and authorities are watching to see if Tropical Storm Arlene spread the spores that cause the disease as it passed through parts of Kentucky and other states along the upper Mississippi River. Anytime an atmospheric disturbance comes out of the south, there is always a chance that soybean rust spores could be carried north into Kentucky, said Don Hershman, plant pathologist with the UK College of Agriculture.
Numerous fungicide use programs have been developed to prevent soybean rust or to treat soybeans in the early stage of infection. Preventative programs utilizing solo strobilurin fungicides or chlorothalonil need to be in place before significant infection occurs, Hershman said. Preventative/early post-infection fungicide programs must include a triazole, either solo or in combination with a strobilurin, he said.
Strict preventative programs should be implemented once officials have established that a rust epidemic is underway in the U.S.; in that event, the risk that rust spores may have moved into Kentucky will be high. A preventative/early post-infection program should be in place once there is strong evidence that spores have blown into Kentucky and that infections are probable, or very low levels of infection are evident, Hershman said.
A number of section 3 and section 18 fungicides are available to Kentucky soybean producers to manage soybean rust. Section 18 products may be used at the discretion of the producer, but they should only be used for soybean rust management when the soybean rust risk is high, based on the best available sources of information, according to Hershman.
In addition to the soybean rust Web site, a new call-in line has been established by the Kentucky Soybean Association to keep producers informed about soybean rust. That toll-free number is 1-888-321-6771.
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