Latest Alabama soybean rust find near Tennessee line

Soybean rust was confirmed in additional areas of Alabama, including in Limestone County, which borders southern Middle Tennessee. This follows confirmation of finds in seven counties in Kentucky. So far, soybean rust has not been found in Tennessee.

The following is from Alabama's posting today on USDA soybean rust web site:

On October 10, soybean rust was confirmed on leaves collected from soybean sentinel plots in Lee County in east-central Alabama and in Limestone County in north Alabama on the Tennessee border. The disease was detected at both locations at low levels on soybeans at the R8 growth stage.

On October 6, soybean rust was confirmed from leaves collected from a soybean research plot in Headland, Alabama in Henry County in the southeast section of the State. The soybeans were at the R6 growth stage. Rust was also confirmed on leaves from a commercial soybean field in Sumter County in west-central Alabama. The field had already been harvested but leaves were collected from plant "escapes" at the edge of the field.

On October 5th, soybean rust was found in a soybean variety trial on a Auburn University Research Station in Brewton, Alabama in Escambia County. The small trial was at the R7 growth stage. Disease severity was low. Numerous kudzu patches in neighboring counties were scouted for rust but the disease was not detected.