We have heard a lot during the last 24 months about soybean rust. Prior to November 2004, most of us were curious about soybean rust because it was a disease in other parts of the world. After November 2004, when it was discovered in several states including Missouri, it became a concern. It is now considered a threat to the US soybean crop because it developed in a few states in the Southeast US during 2005 and 2006. Many scientists consider soybean rust a threat because it has reduced yield in parts of Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil since it was discovered there 3-5 years ago, and it may do the same here. Some scientists are not as concerned about it as others because the weather in most areas of the US is not as suitable for rust as in those countries where it is causing yield loss. Until scientists are more confident about how this disease spreads in the US and the impact it will have on our soybean crop, producers must remain watchful and follow the development of this disease each year. Will it spread to our area, the upper mid-south, and cause yield loss? No one knows for sure. But a lot of people, including me, want the public to know that we are frequently scouting soybean fields for this disease and will notify the public as soon as rust is in or near our area. If this happens, producers can treat their soybean fields with fungicides to protect the crop from attack.

The only way to protect soybean against rust is to apply fungicides to the foliage because there are no soybean varieties resistant to rust. Several fungicides are labeled for soybean rust control and are effective, but they must be applied just before the disease develops or soon after. A list of these products, the current location of rust in the USA, and other information about the symptoms of this disease, how it spreads, and the conditions necessary for rust to develop are at the University of Missouri Rust Management Team's web site, http://agebb.missouri.edu/mgt/soyrust/. In Missouri, the soybean rust scouting program and several research projects on soybean rust are supported by the Soybean Producer Checkoff.

Information about the current location of rust in the USA, about rust monitoring work in Missouri, and about research on the Early Soybean Production System effect on rust and research to develop rust resistant soybean varieties will be presented during the University of Missouri Delta Center Field Day on August 31.

2006 Field Day Report