Duane Dailey
Senior Writer
573-882-9181
DaileyD@missouri.edu
Nov. 17, 2004
Soybean rust is hot topic at MU crop conference;
other diseases, insects, pests included, Dec. 16-17
"We already had soybean rust on the agenda," said Bill Wiebold, MU Extension soybean specialist and head of the conference program.
Soybean rust, a devastating foliar disease, was first discovered in the United States in November in a soybean plot in Louisiana. Rust causes up to 80 percent yield loss in infected soybean fields in South America.
Laura Sweets, MU plant pathologist, will teach the biology and management of the disease. "It is too early to know when the disease might reach Missouri," Sweets said. "We have time to learn to identify and scout for the disease." New publications on rust identification will be released at the conference.
Soybean rust is one of 13 concurrent session topics offered during the conference at the Columbia Holiday Inn Select. University scientists will tell their latest research results and information on new pests and problems found during the past crop year, Wiebold said.
Sudden death syndrome, another soybean disease, will be discussed by Jason Bond of Southern Illinois University. SDS was widespread in the Missouri crop this year. The disease is associated with early planting in cool, wet soils.
Wiebold will lead a discussion on "Risks Associated with Planting Date Decisions."
Weather will be a topic in several sessions. The keynote address at 9 a.m., Dec. 16 will be "Current El Nino Activity and Possible Impacts on Crops" by Tony Lupo of the MU atmospheric science department.
Repeated violent hurricane weather is suspected in bringing soybean rust fungal spores from South American to the United States.
A new session will be "Economics of Foreign Ag Competition" by Pat Westhoff and Brent Carpenter, economists at the MU Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI.)
The Nitrogen Management session will include a report on extensive nitrogen loss in corn fields from wet weather this year. Peter Scharf, MU Extension soil specialist will tell "2004 and Other Stories."
Also on soil fertility, John Lory, extension soil specialist and member of the MU Commercial Agriculture crops team will tell of "Phosphorus and Potassium Recommendations: Opportunities for Change."
Other sessions include: water management, irrigation, insect updates, weed management, forage management, and the national plant diagnostic network.
This annual conference was created to educate MU Extension regional specialists and certified crop advisors. The sessions are now open to all producers and individuals interested in crop production.
Early registration fee is $150. That includes breaks, meals and a notebook of handouts plus pest identification manuals. A $25 late fee will be charged after Dec. 9.
Program details are on the Internet at http://muconf.missouri.edu/cropmgt/index.html; select the "conference directory" link. Contact Wiebold at wieboldw@missouri.edu or (573) 882-2801.
Registration forms are also at that Web site, or contact the MU Conference office at 348 Hearnes Center, Columbia, MO 65211 or by credit card at (573) 882-8320. For details call Lorie Bousquet at (573) 882-6059.
Source: Bill Wiebold (573) 882-2802; Laura Sweets (573) 884-7307
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