A coordinated effort to manage soybean rust in North America: a success story in soybean disease monitoring

Authors: SIKORA, EDWARD - Auburn University; ALLEN, TOM - Mississippi State University; WISE, KIRSTEN - Purdue University; BERGSTROM, GARY - Cornell College - Iowa; BRADELY, CARL - University Of Illinois; BOND, J - Southern Illinois University; BROWN-RYTLEWSKI, D - Michigan State University; CHILVERS, MARTIN - Michigan State University; DAMICONE, JOHN - Oklahoma State University; DEWOLF, E - Kansas State University; DORRANCE, A - The Ohio State University; DUFAULT, N - University Of Florida; ESKER, P - Universidad De Costa Rica; FASKE, T - University Of Arkansas; GIESLER, L - University Of Nebraska; GOLDBERG, N - New Mexico State University; GOLOD, J - Pennsylvania State University; GOMEZ, R - Sistema Nacional De Vigilancia Epidemiologica Fitosanitaria, Centro Nacional De Referenceia Fitosa; GRAU, C - University Of Wisconsin; GRYBAUSKAS, A - University Of Maryland; FRANC, G - University Of Wyoming; HAMMERSCHMIDT, R - Michigan State University; Hartman, Glen; HENN, R - Mississippi State University; HERSHMAN, D - University Of Kentucky; HOLLIER, C - Louisiana State University Agcenter; ISAKEIT, T - Texas A&M University; ISARD, S - Pennsylvania State University; JACOBSEN, B - Montana State University; JARDINE, D - Kansas State University; KEMERAIT, R - University Of Georgia; KOENNING, S - North Carolina State University; LANGHAM, M - South Dakota State University; MALVICK, D - University Of Minnesota; MARKELL, S - North Dakota State University; MAROIS, J - University Of Florida; MONFORT, S - Clemson University; MUELLER, D - Iowa State University; MUELLER, J - Clemson University; MULROONEY, R - University Of Delaware; NEWMAN, M - Basf Corporation North America; OSBORNE, L - Dupont Pioneer Hi-Bred; PADGETT, G - Louisiana State University Agcenter; RUDEN, B - Wheat Growers; RUPE, J - University Of Arkansas; SCHNEIDER, R - Louisiana State University Agcenter; SCHWARTZ, H - Colorad0 State University; SHANER, G - Purdue University; SINGH, S - University Of Idaho; STROMBERG, E - Virginia Polytechnic Institution & State University; SWEETS, L - University Of Missouri; TENUTA, A - Ontario Ministry Of Agriculture; VAICIUNAS, S - New Jersey Department Of Agriculture; YANG, X - Iowa State University; YOUNG-KELLY, H - University Of Tennessee; ZIDEK, J - Zedx, Inc

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/11/2014
Publication Date: 7/1/2014
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/60203
Citation: Sikora, E.J., Allen, T.W., Wise, K.A., Bergstrom, G., Bradely, C., Bond, J., Brown-Rytlewski, D., Chilvers, M., Damicone, J., Dewolf, E., Dorrance, A., Dufault, N., Esker, P., Faske, T.R., Giesler, L., Goldberg, N., Golod, J., Gomez, R.G., Grau, C., Grybauskas, A., Franc, G., Hammerschmidt, R., Hartman, G.L., Henn, R.A., Hershman, D., Hollier, C., Isakeit, T., Isard, S., Jacobsen, B., Jardine, D., Kemerait, R., Koenning, S., Langham, M., Malvick, D., Markell, S., Marois, J.J., Monfort, S., Mueller, D., Mueller, J., Mulrooney, R., Newman, M., Osborne, L., Padgett, G.B., Ruden, B.E., Rupe, J., Schneider, R., Schwartz, H., Shaner, G., Singh, S., Stromberg, E., Sweets, L., Tenuta, A., Vaiciunas, S., Yang, X.B., Young-Kelly, H., Zidek, J. 2014. A coordinated effort to manage soybean rust in North America: a success story in soybean disease monitoring. Plant Disease. 98:864-875.

Interpretive Summary: Soybean rust is one of the most important foliar diseases of soybean worldwide. The anticipated threat of soybean rust (SBR) resulted in an unprecedented effort to develop and implement disease monitoring and education platforms in North America. Since 2005, the primary platform for SBR information dispersal, known as the Soybean Rust-Pest Information Platform for Extension and Education (SBR-PIPE) has relied on real-time disease monitoring observations to track and predict in-season spread of SBR in North America. Quantitative and qualitative data continue to be collected and reported through this monitoring program. As of 2012, over 73,000 data points have been uploaded to SBR-PIPE, representing 8 years of SBR monitoring data. Although the data have limitations due to the collection methods and objectives of the monitoring program, they are available to researchers to answer important questions on the epidemiology and biology of SBR. This vast database can now be used to answer epidemiological and biological questions on the pathogen and the disease. Additionally, the database encourages collaborations among plant pathologists and climatologists as we attempt to answer questions on the impact of changing weather patterns and impact of tropical storms and hurricanes on SBR development and spread. Most importantly, scientists addressing emerging plant diseases can use the SBR monitoring program as an example of how to quickly and collaboratively provide effective disease monitoring and management. The information in this feature article is important to a wide range of professions, including those in extension, and in industry and to other scientists interested in studying and compiling data on emerging pathogens.

Technical Abstract: The anticipated threat of soybean rust (SBR), caused by the fungus Phakopsora pachyrhizi Sydow, resulted in an unprecedented effort to develop and implement disease monitoring and education platforms in North America. Since 2005, the primary platform for SBR information dispersal, known as the Soybean Rust-Pest Information Platform for Extension and Education (SBR-PIPE) has relied on real-time disease monitoring observations to track and predict in-season spread of SBR in North America. Quantitative and qualitative data continue to be collected and reported through this monitoring program. As of 2012, over 73,000 data points have been uploaded to SBR-PIPE, representing 8 years of SBR monitoring data. Although the data have limitations due to the collection methods and objectives of the monitoring program, they are available to researchers to answer important questions on the epidemiology and biology of SBR. Due to changing priorities and resources, SBR monitoring will likely not continue in its current form. In the future, innovative methods must be implemented to monitor SBR and provide management suggestions to soybean farmers in North America.