Soybean Rust Found In Some Tennessee Counties

DR. HEATHER MARIE YOUNG-KELLY

JACKSON, TENN.
    Soybean rust was found in the Shelby County sentinel plot, in Millington near the Tipton County line. There was 7 out of 37 leaves with soybean rust with varying severity levels ranging from 1 to 35 percent (percentage of the leaf area that has lesions), with an average of 2 percent across the whole sample.


Photo 1 Varying severity levels of soybean rust on leaves collected from Shelby Co. sentinel plot.


Photo 2 Close up of a leaflet with soybean rust symptoms

    Estimating by the age of the pustules on the leaf, it is likely spores were deposited in the field 3-4 weeks ago, give or take a week. Kudzu in Tipton County and soybeans in Fayette County were also scouted over that past 2 days with no soybean rust found.
    Most soybeans are past the growth stage of applying a fungicide. Feel free to contact your local county agent or myself if you have any questions about your specific situation and fungicide options. Sentinel soybean leaves will continue to be examined from across middle and west Tennessee for soybean rust.  Any positive observation will be reported here on news.utcrops.com, the sbrusa.net website, and the UT Rust Hot Line (1-877-875-2326).∆
DR. HEATHER MARIE YOUNG-KELLY: Assistant Professor Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee