The following update was provided by Drs. Pat Phipps and Darcy Telenko at the Virginia Tech Tidewater Ag Research and Extension Center (Suffolk, VA).

Most full season (May planted) soybeans (group IV and V) are at or approaching R6 (full seed). Group III soybean are beginning to yellow and drop leaves. Therefore, most of our full-season crop should suffer no yield loss from soybean rust. Double-crop soybean are just entering R5 (beginning seed); therefore, this crop will need to be protected for approximately 2 more weeks. In drought-stricken areas, recent rainfall has allowed addition flowering and pod set at the top of the plant. In the most severely drought-stressed areas of Virginia, soybean are one to two stages behind. Such fields will need protection for another 2 weeks.

Observation and Outlook – Disease
Samples of leaflets from sentinel plots at the Tidewater AREC in Suffolk have been examined this week and no soybean rust (SBR) was found. The risk of SBR reaching Virginia is likely to remain low as long as high temperatures continue to reach into the 90’s.