Are fungicides effective against Asian soybean rust?
Yes, there are effective fungicides in use in other countries. If soybean rust arrives in the United States, fungicides will be the major tool to protect yield. In addition to efficacy, there are other important areas being addressed in current USDAARS fungicide trials in Africa and South America: application methods, the effect of fungicides on the crop, timing, minimum number of applications, as well as the economics of using fungicides on soybean. The rust fungus is a highly variable pathogen, and resistance management may be an issue.
