Soybean Rust Spreading Farther North and West Than in the Past

Soybean rust was confirmed Saturday in Jefferson and Lonoke counties in Arkansas. That follows findings Friday in Oklahoma where rust was found in a sentinel plot in Okmulgee County and a commercial field in Sequoyah County. Earlier in the week, rust was confirmed in Clay and Pulaski counties in Arkansas. Clay County is in the extreme northeast part of the state bordering the Missouri Bootheel.

These latest finds of rust bring the number of counties where it has been found in 2007 to 97. Eleven of those counties are in Arkansas, 10 in Alabama, six in Mississippi, 25 in Texas, 14 in Florida, eight in Oklahoma, 14 in Louisiana and nine counties in Georgia.

Fungicide sprays are recommended to protect soybeans from rust in affected counties when soybeans are in the R1 to R4 growth stages. Fungicide application for rust control should be considered only where crop conditions and yield prospects are good.

For more information about soybean rust, click HERE.