Sentinel Plots to Monitor the Spread of Soybean Rust in the US Soybean Production

The goal of this proposal is to continue the soybean rust monitoring and early warning network established in 2005, that is a cooperative project with the USDA. This system serves as a guide for soybean producers to make fungicide application decisions for soybean rust (SBR) control. We propose to supplement the USDA system by adding additional sentinel plots in each of the NCSRP states as well as other states in the US where supplementation to the USDA funding is needed. These plots would be used to monitor and track disease spread, and inform growers on the northward spread of SBR upon early detection of disease in the coming growing season. Information from sentinel plots in Ontario Canada, which could influence some states, will be provided byt he Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to the USDA web site.