NC504: Soybean Rust: A New Pest of Soybean Production
Statement of Issues and Justification
Soybean rust is a serious disease causing crop losses in other parts of the world. It has not yet been detected in the continental United States, but the fact that it is principally spread by wind-borne spores indicates it may eventually reach major soybean growing areas in this country. Soybean rust is caused by two fungal species, Phakopsora pachyrhizi, an aggressive pathogen, and Phakopsora meibomiae, a weak pathogen. P. pachyrhizi has spread in the past ten years to Zimbabwe, South Africa, Paraguay, and Brazil causing severe damage. Yield losses have been reported from 10-80%. APHIS listed P. pachyrhizi in the Federal Register on August 12, 2002, as one of nine agents or toxins potentially posing a severe threat to plant health or plant products in the U.S. The appearance of a new pathogen on a key U.S. commodity raises a whole series of questions. Farmers want to know if it poses a direct threat, not only for the crop in the year it appears, but also for the future. The arrival of P. pachrhizi to the United States soybean production areas is anticipated and could cause large crop and economic losses to growers. Resistant varieties are still in development, but there are effective fungicides being used in other countries. It is not currently known which of the fungicides, current registrations and future registration, may be effective on soybean rust in the U.S. Growers, Extension personnel, researchers, etc., also need to know how to identify soybean rust so rapid detection can occur.
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