A Fungus Among Us Eating Up Arkansas Crops
By: Josh Berry
Updated: September 20, 2012
Many homeowners may be seeing a common mushroom fungus in their front yards. They range in size and are usually found in rings. While rain is always a good thing, Tropical Storm Isaac could be to blame, but mushroom your front yard isn't the only fungus among us.
"It's a really beautiful fungus," explained University of Arkansas Extension Plant Pathologist, Dr. Travis Faske as he described the fungus in question.
The fungus commonly called "Soybean Rust" made its way into southeast Arkansas soy bean crops on the tail end of Tropical Storm Isaac.
The experts claim it likely started in Alabama and Mississippi. Strong winds carried it just like an airborne disease.
"Rust is very specific often infecting just one host," Dr. Faske said.
It's like early detection of a disease in our bodies: the earlier we find out about it, the better.
"When you find it," Dr. Faske added. "It's like finding gold at times."
Because when they do, it can save farmers tons of money protecting their crops.
"We could have severe defoliation and significant yield loss for the growers."
And with Soybean Rust, heavy rains from the storms also sprouted up the pesky mushrooms in many of our front yards.
"These popped up this morning," Sharon Riley pointed as she showed a grouping of mushrooms in her front yard.
Riley's got a different kind of fungus growing in her grass, but it's here because of those same storms that brought the Rust.
While they may be a bit surprising and unwanted, her mushrooms won't particularly harm a well maintained yard.
This is quite unlike Soybean Rust, which outside of a lab, and out from under the light and magnification of a microscope, can cause wide scale profit loss if left undetected.
If county extensions can catch signs of rust early on they can send that information out to growers who can properly manage the disease.
Since Isaac's rain and storms came so late, the farmers that need to listen up are the ones who planted their soybean later; for example, after wheat.
For more information and detailed explanations on the Soybean Rusk Fungus, click here.
Related Story:
"It's a really beautiful fungus," explained University of Arkansas Extension Plant Pathologist, Dr. Travis Faske as he described the fungus in question.
The fungus commonly called "Soybean Rust" made its way into southeast Arkansas soy bean crops on the tail end of Tropical Storm Isaac.
The experts claim it likely started in Alabama and Mississippi. Strong winds carried it just like an airborne disease.
"Rust is very specific often infecting just one host," Dr. Faske said.
It's like early detection of a disease in our bodies: the earlier we find out about it, the better.
"When you find it," Dr. Faske added. "It's like finding gold at times."
Because when they do, it can save farmers tons of money protecting their crops.
"We could have severe defoliation and significant yield loss for the growers."
And with Soybean Rust, heavy rains from the storms also sprouted up the pesky mushrooms in many of our front yards.
"These popped up this morning," Sharon Riley pointed as she showed a grouping of mushrooms in her front yard.
Riley's got a different kind of fungus growing in her grass, but it's here because of those same storms that brought the Rust.
While they may be a bit surprising and unwanted, her mushrooms won't particularly harm a well maintained yard.
This is quite unlike Soybean Rust, which outside of a lab, and out from under the light and magnification of a microscope, can cause wide scale profit loss if left undetected.
If county extensions can catch signs of rust early on they can send that information out to growers who can properly manage the disease.
Since Isaac's rain and storms came so late, the farmers that need to listen up are the ones who planted their soybean later; for example, after wheat.
For more information and detailed explanations on the Soybean Rusk Fungus, click here.
Related Story:
