Predicting Soybean Rust Incursions into the North American Continental Interior Using Crop Monitoring, Spore...

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Plant Pathology
• Ecology

Background:

• Soybean rust, caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi, poses a significant threat to soybean production in North America.
• Fungicide applications represent a substantial cost for soybean producers.
• Effective disease monitoring and information dissemination are crucial for timely and appropriate management decisions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the impact of information provided by the Integrated Pest Management Pest Information Platform for Extension and Education (ipmPIPE) on soybean rust management practices.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of ipmPIPE in reducing unnecessary fungicide applications and increasing producer profits.
• To assess the utility of aerobiological modeling and spore trapping for soybean rust surveillance.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of Phakopsora pachyrhizi urediniospore data from rain collections.
• Comparison of spore data with aerobiology model output.
• Correlation of biological data with observed soybean rust spread in 2007 and 2008.
• Evaluation of ipmPIPE's role in disseminating information to producers and extension specialists.

Main Results:

• A strong correspondence was observed between spore collections and model predictions in the continental interior of North America.
• ipmPIPE-driven management decisions led to millions of acres of soybean remaining untreated, increasing producer profits significantly.
• The system potentially suppressed inoculum sources in southern states and slowed the northward progression of soybean rust.
• Spore trapping and aerobiological modeling showed promise as cost-effective alternatives to the Sentinel Plot Network.

Conclusions:

• The ipmPIPE system effectively guided fungicide application decisions, resulting in substantial economic benefits for North American soybean producers.
• Aerobiological monitoring and modeling are valuable tools for soybean rust management, complementing existing surveillance methods.
• Optimized information delivery through ipmPIPE can enhance disease control strategies and reduce reliance on costly traditional monitoring networks.