This course covers the impact, identification, scouting, and management of soybean rust.
Soybean rust is one of the most significant diseases that affects soybean yield. The rust spreads quickly and causes up to an 80% loss in yield. It's a frustrating challenge for producers and breeders, but there are practices and management techniques that growers can employ to ensure a good return on investment for their soybean production.
SIL designed this course for growers, practitioners, breeders, and researchers so they could learn how to identify and scout for disease at the optimal stage and manage it before it's too late.
Non editable automatic button
Developed by the Soybean Innovation Lab, aka SIL-U, this certificate-based Soybean rust crash course includes information about pathogens, symptoms, recognition, and management.
The last module is an optional module for breeders and researchers. This optional model has more information on data collection and resistance.
We also have a series of webinars available on the SIL-U platform. The webinars are an addition to anyone who wants to know more about the soybean rust.
Testimonial Madalitso Phiri Mwanayumo. Supervisor at Ministry of Agriculture - ZAMBIA Volunteer trainer at CNFA/Senior Agriculture Supervisor
It is the current situation here in Zambia, through SIL-U training, farmers are getting the help they need.
As you can see on the pictures below, some are experiencing total loss. While others, with measures being taken, are defending their crop.
Soybean Fields with advanced stage of rust disease.
Sharing knowledge.
It was interesting that the course came at the right time, which was very important for me as an agriculture extension supervisor.
It was good that I was getting into the field with enough confidence imparted by SIL-U.
Knowledge was passed on through some formal training under the farmer-to-farmer program by CNFA "Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture".
Also, through interaction with farmers during my extension services, field days, farmer field visits, and other informal arrangements.
Bountiful harvest
Early planted crop escaping the soybean rust. All recommendation by the SIL-U followed. The field is still being monitored. Picture credit: Webby Sinkala, Volunteer at CNFA/Agriculture Extension Officer
The farmers who planted late have taken it upon themselves to protect the crop by spraying strobirulin and triazole fungicides among others. Picture credit: Webby Sinkala.
For farmers who have successfully defended their crops, the most important was prevention by early planting and type of specific fungicides to protect their.
At most, farmers were realizing the symptoms of the diseases when they had already crossed the economic injury level, and chemical control was not a better choice to make.
This wasn’t to the knowledge of farmers who went along to buy fungicides. But knowledge from SIL-U helped farmers not to incur more losses by just leaving the crop like that, without doing anything, but embarking on early planting in the following season. Those whose crop had not yet been attacked were advised to apply triazole + strobilurin and recommended two applications of each systemic fungicide group that season at a full dose.
Currently, farmers are still relying on the same information and doing better so far despite failures to plant early due to the late onset of rains. But they are hoping to do better, thanks to SIL-U.
Mr. Webby Sinkala, Volunteer trainer at CNFA/ Agriculture Officer & Volunteer at CNFA. He appreciates the impact of SIL-U as witnessed in the quality of the crop stand. The crop is still being monitored.
Course Contents
Vitor Rampazzo Favoretto
Dr. Vitor Rampazzo Favoretto is an Agronomic Engineer from Brazil with a Master's and Ph.D. from the Crop Physiology Laboratory at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he focused his studies on soybean production. Specifically on management practices to increase soybean grain yield and seed protein simultaneously. Passionate about soybean, he is now the Disease and Pest Team Coordinator at the Soybean Innovation Laboratory, helping partners avoid yield loss by creating technology to manage soybean diseases because… Together, we are stronger for soybean success!
Maria Laura Malvino
Dr. Maria Laura Malvino is the former Disease Program Coordinator for the Soybean Innovation Lab. She is currently a Seed Technology Scientist at Bayer.
