(L) John Mueler, (R) David Howle

DATE: 3/2/2006

CONTACT: Dr. John Mueller, (803) 284-3343, ext. 223; jmllr@clemson.edu

Dr. David Howle, (864) 646-2140; dhowle@clemson.edu

Aaron Wood, (803) 734-1767; awood@scda.sc.gov

WRITER: Tom Lollis, (803) 284-3343, ext. 241; tlollis@clemson.edu

Ag community honors Clemson faculty for helping soybean growers fight rust

CLEMSON – Two Clemson University faculty members have been honored by the agricultural community in South Carolina for helping the state’s soybean growers deal with a new disease called Asian Soybean Rust.

John Mueller, plant pathologist/nematologist at Edisto Research and Education Center at Blackville, and David Howle, assistant director for Regulatory and Public Service Programs, were singled out at a South Carolina Agriculture Commission Joint Commodity Boards Meeting in Columbia in February.

The two headed up an effort that kept growers informed on the spread of the disease, which can be devastating to soybeans, and provided sound advice on how to deal with it, according to Aaron Wood, executive director of the S. C. Soybean Board.

“John’s approach of relying on sentinel plots as an early-warning system worked well,” said Wood. “He recommended spraying for rust only if the disease had been confirmed within 50 miles of a grower’s field.”

“John saved growers in South Carolina a lot of money by helping them avoid unnecessary sprays,” he said. Growers also received advice on the type of fungicide chemistry to use – protectants or eradicants – and on which fungicides would also help protect against other leaf and pod fungal diseases.

South Carolina growers harvested 420,000 acres of soybeans in 2005 worth approximately $48 million.

Howle directed the operations of the Department of Plant Industry and the Plant Problem Clinic in the examination and diagnosis of suspected leaf specimens in a timely and efficient manner, according to Wood.

“Before Asian Soybean Rust was found in South Carolina in November of 2004, it was listed by the Department of Homeland Security as a select agent with potential for introduction into the United States by terrorists. The Department of Plant Industry at Clemson had developed a plan to deal with the disease,” he said. Rust spores blew into the southeastern United States and the disease was detected in several states, including South Carolina, in November of 2004.

“The cooperation among David and John, the agricultural industry, the Department of Agriculture, growers, county agents and the Soybean Board was exemplary,” said Wood.

Plaques presented to Mueller and Howle were signed by John Kelly, Clemson University vice president for Public Service and Agriculture; S.C. Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers; David Winkles, president of the S.C. Farm Bureau; and Ellie W. Green Jr., chairman of the S.C. Soybean Board.

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