Recent news that Asian soybean rust was found on Iowa soybean plants grown during the 2006 crop year has stirred interest in preparing for the possibility that the disease may return in 2007.
“In 2002, Iowa State University (ISU) along with the Iowa Soybean Association and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship formed the Iowa Soybean Rust Team. That team developed the Iowa Fast Track System,” said Dave Andrews, Story County Extension Education Director. “This system will help increase the speed and accuracy of diagnosing the disease, if it returns to Iowa.”
The process is simple. Iowa producers submit samples to an Iowa First Detector, who will then examine the samples and submit them to an Iowa Triage Team Member, if warranted. There is no charge for samples submitted by Iowa producers using this method. Only those samples submitted to a First Detector and forwarded to a Triage Team Member will be considered part of the Iowa Fast Track System. This process ensures that the sample is reviewed quickly and alerts the ISU Plant Disease Clinic that suspect samples are being submitted. The Clinic will examine the sample and diagnose whether Asian soybean rust is present.
“Now that the first case of Asian soybean rust in Iowa has been confirmed, the ISU Plant Disease Clinic will be responsible for issuing official diagnosis for any samples from Iowa fields,” said Andrews.
The Iowa Soybean Rust Team Web page offers information that will help Iowa soybean producers identify, confirm and manage Asian soybean rust. It also hosts the directory of Iowa First Detectors.
ISU Extension offers additional Asian soybean rust information through:
Dave; Deb; Meridith
5/24/2007