Effect of rust (Phakopsora pachyrhizi) on soybean yield and quality in south-eastern Queensland

In a field trial conducted at the University of Queensland Research Farm, Redland Bay in 1976, plots of soybeans were protected from rust, Phakopsora pachyrhizi, with mancozeb sprays for varying periods after sowing. Seed yield losses were 60–70% in the most severely rusted plots. In a glasshouse trial, rust inoculations were commenced at regular intervals during growth, and yield was reduced by 95% in plants inoculated immediately prior to flowering. In both trials, reduced yield was associated with reductions in the number of filled pods per plant, the number of filled seeds per plant and seed weight. The oil but not the protein content of the seed was also reduced in the more severely rusted treatments in the field trial.