Dec 16, 2009
Heavy Rains In Central Brazil Raise Fears Of Soybean Rust
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
The rainy season started earlier than normal in Brazil and it has continued to rain heavier than normal throughout central Brazil. Standing water is a common sight in many of Brazil's soybean fields. In Sapezal in western Mato Grosso for example, during the first 13 days of December, they have already received 80% of their normal December rainfall. Similar reports are coming in from all across Mato Grosso. Many soybeans in central Brazil are now flowering and setting pods and farmer's attention is turning to scouting their fields for the first signs of soybean rust. Soybean plants are most susceptible to rust infestations when they enter their reproductive phase. The hot and humid conditions in central Brazil has enabled the disease to arrive about 30 days earlier than expected.
As of December 15, 116 cases of soybean rust have been confirmed in Brazil, which are the most cases of rust recorded this early in the growing season. The state of Goias has recorded the most cases of rust with 41, followed by Parana with 30, Mato Grosso do Sul with 16, and Mato Grosso with 12 cases. During the 2008-09 growing season, soybean farmers in Brazil applied slightly less than two fungicide applications to control the disease. Since the disease arrived earlier this year, it is expected that the number of applications will be higher this year. On the average, each fungicide application costs approximately US$ 7 to 9 per acre.