Soybean rust has been confirmed in Missouri

State agriculture officials Tuesday confirmed that Asian soybean rust--a fungus that can hinder plant growth and drastically cut crop production--has been found in Southeast Missouri.

Samples were collected by University of Missouri Extension scientists from soybean fields in Pemiscot and New Madrid counties iand tested by the USDA National Plant Germplasm and Biotechnology Laboratory in Beltsville, Md. confirmed the presence of the fungus.

"Confirming the presence of soybean rust at this time of year is probably the best scenario we could have hoped for," says Mike Brown, state entomologist with the Missouri Department of Agriculture ). "Growers, (University of Missouri) extension personnel, agriculture officials and industry will have several months to prepare for managing this new soybean disease before the next growing season."

The fungus will have no impact on this year's harvest, Missouri agriculture officials said.

Soybean rust, a wind-borne pathogen, was first discovered in the U.S. on Nov. 10 at a research plot in Louisiana. Since that time, the fungus has been found in a total of seven states: Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Arkansas and now, Missouri. The number of confirmed cases in the United States now stands at 18. Due to lack of green vegetation, recent snowfall and hard frosts, additional sampling is likely to cease in Missouri.

Soybean rust can be treated with fungicides, but that adds to the cost of production of the soybeans. The fungus creates reddish-brown blotches on growing leaves, weakening the plant and reducing yields. It has been found in South America, Asia and Africa.

The state agriculture department is working in partnership with USDA, the University of Missouri Extension and the Missouri Soybean Association in response to the recent findings. The department has adopted the existing USDA-APHIS soybean rust strategic plan and continues to take appropriate steps in educating producers and encouraging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to approve additional fungicides that would help with the treatment of soybean rust.

On the net:

www.mda.mo.gov/Pest/soybeanrust.htm