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Soybean rust in Louisiana, no need for Arkansas farmers to pani
Arkansas Asian soybean rust, which can defoliate a soybean field in two to three weeks, has been found in Louisiana, but there's no need for Arkansas farmers to panic, according to Dr. Jeremy Ross, soybean specialist with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. The rust, found May 8 in a patch of kudzu, was also found in the area last year. This time, it was found nearly two months earlier than it appeared last year. Ross said the rust had apparently overwintered in the kudzu, a favorite target of the disease along with soybeans. Arkansas farmers intend to plant 2.9 million acres of soybeans. "Hopefully, the weather will cooperate, and it'll never make it into Arkansas," Ross said. But he expressed concern about the disease being found so much earlier than last year. "There's no need to panic," Ross said. "We don't recommend spraying for rust whileSoybeansare in the vegetative growth stage, and that's whereSoybeansare right now in Arkansas." The disease is a fungus that's spread by wind-borne spores. It's one of the most serious threats toSoybeansin several years. "The reason we're so concerned with soybean rust is that it's an aggressive disease," Ross said. "If you're not on top of it and you're not scouting your fields and monitoring for it, you can have complete crop defoliation in two or three weeks." Fortunately, he said, there are several fungicides that are effective in controlling the disease. They include protectants that are applied before the disease causes infection and curatives that are applied after infection. Ross said the University of Arkansas is closely monitoring soybean rust and will alert farmers if and when it enters the state. "We're going to be vigilant in monitoring soybean sentinel plots," he said. "We have 22 sentinel fields, including several in southern Arkansas and in the Delta of eastern Arkansas." These plots will serve as an early warning system for the disease. The extension service conducted training over the winter for county agents to bring them up-to-date on soybean rust and how to scout for it. "We have a good framework in place if it does enter Arkansas but now it's just wait and see," Ross noted. "But no one needs to be worried at this time." The disease has appeared in Arkansas for the last two years, but it came into the state too late to cause any damage. When it was discovered in the fall, theSoybeanshad either been harvested or were mature and the disease had no effect on yields. For more information about soybean production or Asian soybean rust, contact your county extension agent. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of Agriculture. B 9 5/28/07 5 Star OK Date: 5/24/07
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