
Virginia Asian Soybean Rust
Virginia Soybean Rust Monitoring Program
2008 Virginia Soybean Rust Monitoring Program
The Virginia Soybean Rust Monitoring Program began in 2004 and has undergone some expansion since that time. The goal of this program is to ensure that an early warning system is in place for soybean rust so that significant soybean yield losses from this potentially devastating disease is avoided. Additionally, the program aims to ensure that fungicides are used judiciously, only when necessary, and at the proper time. Since implementation of this program soybean rust has only been detected in Virginia late in the growing season when the soybean crop was no longer at risk of crop loss from this disease.
During 2008 commercial soybean plots in major soybean production counties were monitored in addition to 10 USDA sentinel plots. Since previous experience demonstrated that early detection of soybean rust is possible only with microscopic examination of incubated soybean leaflets, the program relied upon laboratory examination of collected soybean leaflets by plant pathologists.
Soybean rust was identified in the following Virginia counties in 2008, beginning with the first identification in Virginia Beach on 10/29/08: Sussex, Surry, Suffolk, Southampton, Northampton, Mecklenburg, Isle of Wight, Chesapeak and Accomack.
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