Information on Asian Rust

The discovery of Asian soybean rust in the Delta state is just one of several factors that could influence northern soybean acres in 2005.

Betsy Jensen, ag commodity instructor with the Northland Community Technical College’s Farm Business Management program, doesn’t believe that the discovery of Asian rust will discourage producers in the Dakotas and Minnesota from growing soybeans, at least in 2005. If anything, the hope of better prices because of fewer southern acres could be an incentive for northern growers to plant soybeans.

“If there’s a disincentive to plant soybeans next year, it won’t be Asian rust, it will be last summer’s weather,” she says. “And of course, price next spring will also be a factor.”

The fungus that causes soybean rust, Phakopsora pachyrhizi, is host specific, affecting soybeans and several others in the legume family. Wheat and other grain crops are not hosts to Asian soybean rust, which can conceivably be blown into northern areas by southerly winds, but is unlikely to survive our winters.

The University of Minnesota has information on Asian rust online at www.soybeans.umn.edu/crop/diseases/soybeanrust.htm . The North Central Soybean Research Program has a Q&A on soybean rust online at www.planthealth.info/rust/rustfaq.htm . The USDA has updates on the issue at www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/sbr/sbr.html .