Penn State offers soybean rust workshop

BUTLER, Pa. – Penn State Cooperative Extension offices in Beaver, Lawrence, Mercer, and Westmoreland county offices will be hosting a video conference workshop regarding soybean rust March 17 from 7-9 p.m.
Topics. The meeting will feature an update on the status of soybean rust in the Southern states, presentation of monitoring networks and disease forecasts at state and national levels, as well as detailed information about fungicides and application technology.
Initially confirmed in November 2004, the first case of Asian soybean rust has been documented in the continental United States in Louisiana.
Soybean rust is a fungal disease that can cause large crop and economic losses to soybean growers because of decreases in yield and/or increased fungicide application costs.
The spores of Asian soybean rust can be spread over extremely long distances by the wind. The spores are currently believed to have arrived in air currents from South Americas where the disease is prevalent.
With potential yield losses ranging from 10 percent to 80 percent, early detection is key to limiting the financial impact to growers.
Questions remain. Although most producers and crop advisers are aware of the potential of soybean rust, questions still remain regarding the potential for the problem for this year, the details on controlling the disease, and how we will know if its in our fields.
Individuals interested in participating in the workshop are asked to preregister with the location they wish to attend.
Registration. To register, contact the workshop sites as follows: Beaver County at 724-774-3003, Lawrence County at 724-654-8370, Mercer County at 724-662-3141 or Westmoreland County at 724-837-1402.
For more information on soybean rust management for corn and soybean crops, see Penn State’s Web site at http://cornandsoybeans.psu.edu/.

SOYBEAN RUST: How should you plan for it? (2/3/2005)
Soybean rust confirmed in U.S. (11/18/2004)