Thursday, November 8, 2007 - 10:30 AM
333-5

Impact of Plant Nutrient Status on Soybean Diseases.

Paul E. Fixen, International Plant Nutrition Institute, 772-22nd Ave. S, Brookings, SD 57006

Plant susceptibility to pathogens can be influenced by nutritional status. Chloride application on low chloride soils has reduced incidence of several fungal diseases of wheat. Potassium deficiency encourages stalk rot in  corn and other types of disease infection, and manganese is involved with lignification of plant cell walls and cell vulnerability to both root and foliar diseases. Recent studies at several U.S. universities are underway exploring the impact of plant nutrient status on soybean susceptibility to Asian Soybean Rust (ASR) and other pathogens. They are based in part on earlier studies in the Philippines showing suppression of ASR by simultaneous application of phosphate and potassium chloride fertilizer and on observations in Brazil of suppression of ASR by potassium chloride. Current studies are exploring the effects of application of manganese, boron, potassium, chloride, foliar nitrogen, and phosphorus on several soybean diseases, including ASR where it has been present, and evaluating differences between RR and non-RR soybean varieties. 

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