Asian soybean rust identified in Paraguay and worries farmers

Despite there being no case yet of Asian soybean rust in commercial crops, the monitoring service in Paraguay detected the presence of the fungus Phakopsora pachyrhizi, which causes the disease.

These were in voluntary soybean plants (not cultivated or born spontaneously) and in kudzu (Pueraria lobata), an alternative host of the fungus.

According to the researcher at Embrapa Soja, Cláudia Godoy, "The orientation was for them to intensify monitoring and to carry out control at the right time, especially in more advanced crops and if the weather conditions are favorable."

In Brazil, collectors from the Paraná Rural Development Institute (IDR – Paraná) detected spores of the rust-causing fungus on 26th October, 2021, in Santa Helena, western Paraná. There is also no record of the disease in commercial crops in the state, which are still in the initial stage of development.

“However, the identification of spores is an indication of the presence of inoculum in the region, indicating the need to intensify monitoring in crops, especially those sown early,” Cláudia advised.

During the same period, in the previous harvest, there were no reports of the disease, probably due to the drought that delayed the sowing of crops, the researcher explained.