Soybean Rust Confirmed in Dayton

DAYTON, November 10, 2005 - Nov. 10: Soybean rust was confirmed in a patch of kudzu outside Dayton, Texas (Liberty County). Positive ELISA results were reported by Dr. Larry Barnes of the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in College Station and subsequently confirmed by USDA-APHIS using PCR.

This is the first report of this fungus in Texas. The samples were collected Nov. 2. There is apparently no other known patch of kudzu in this county and 12 soybean fields 2-12 miles away from this patch had no symptoms of SBR. November 6 & 8: A total of 12 commercial soybean fields in Liberty and Harris Counties were surveyed. No rust was found.

November 2: A survey was made of kudzu and soybeans in the area of Texas affected by Hurricane Rita. The soybean sentinel plots at the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station were still standing. They showed no evidence of rust. A kudzu patch on the side of FM 1414, north of Newton (Newton County) showed no evidence of rust. This site is about 5 miles from the Sabine River (Texas-Louisiana border). A kudzu patch south of Livingston (Polk County) showed no evidence of rust.

Soybeans in Liberty County are mature and harvest will be completed shortly.

There will be more surveys of kudzu in east Texas. Any confirmation of SBR on kudzu in east Texas during the rest of 2005 will be of scientific importance, in identifying movement of SBR spores. Kudzu leaves usually die back during the winter in east Texas, so this is not likely to serve as a source of spores for epidemics in 2006.

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