|
|
| |
| |
ALERT: Soybean rust found on kudzu in Louisiana; more expected
|
By Marilyn Cummins, Editor
StopSoybeanRust.com
5/11/2007 Noon CDT -- The first Asian soybean rust of 2007 for Louisiana has been confirmed in a kudzu patch in New Iberia Parish, in south-central Louisiana. The find this early and in a place that could be a source of rust for the Midwest is of concern, officials said.
Clayton A. Hollier of Louisiana State University said in an advisory today that his associate, Rose Berggren, found the rust on May 8 in a patch that was infected last year. The official report on www.sbrusa.net was made today. The find joins 20 other reports of soybean rust in four other states so far this year.
"This observation is 53 days ahead of last year’s first find," in Louisiana, Hollier said, "which brings up many questions about the initial inoculum source and the overall implications for the soybean crop in Louisiana and the rest of the mid-section of the country."
Hollier commented on the delay in the announcement of three days: "Such an early find in the Deep South has implications for our industry and the industry north of us. It was indicated last year (2006) that Louisiana was probably the source of inoculum for the Mid-South and the Mississippi and Ohio River states north of us. That being said, the same could happen this year, especially if the weather is wetter than last year’s.
"Because of these implications, and the fact that our strategies may have to change because of ASR’s earlier presence, the delay in announcement has everything to do with making certain that the diagnosis was correct," he said. "Initial microscopic observations indicated to us (pathologists) that ASR was present, but there were some abnormally shaped spores present. The second tier of results from the immunoassay test strips indicated ASR’s presence, but PCR is the true litmus test for such an important pathogen."
The soybean rust sample was positive by PCR, too, Hollier said.
"I assure you more information will come soon," he said to his colleagues in the e-mail. "With our recent rains in the near past and the prediction of scattered showers in the near future, we can expect more ASR to develop."
Source: www.sbrusa.net and e-mail advisory from Clayton A. Hollier, Louisiana State University.
For an easy way to stay informed, sign up for the biweekly Bulletin e-mail newsletter from www.StopSoybeanRust.com. You also will receive our RUST FLASH e-mails alerting you to important breaking news as soon as it occurs. All are archived in Bulletins.
|
| |
|
|
|
