The Laboratory for Soybean Disease Research conducts research on soybean rust, charcoal rot, soybean aphids, soybean viruses, phythophthora root rot, sudden death syndrome and other soybean diseases. Projects fall into three main categories: epidemiology of soybean diseases, pathogen variability and host resistance.
The Lab also contributes significantly to the Varietal Information Program for Soybeans (VIPS), including evaluation of soybean varieties for resistance to Phytophthora root rot, Sclerotinia stem rot, soybean aphid, soybean mosaic virus, and sudden death syndrome. This program helps soybean growers with soybean variety selection. You can read more about the VIPS program at vipsoybean.org
web.aces.uiuc.edu/VIPS
Spring marks the beginning of the season to monitor for soybean rust. The Lab will process samples from a nationwide and statewide network of wind-vane traps (see the trap below on the UI south farm) with an assay developed in-house (publication forthcoming).
Soybean rust isolates cultured on detached leaflets in the Lab for Soybean Disease Research
Wind-vane trap for soybean rust spores in Champaign county, IL. Part of a 23-trap nationwide network and a 10-trap statewide network monitoring for soybean rust.
