As the name suggests, this rust disease is native to Asia. The disease was first detected in the United States in Puerto Rico in 1976 and first detected in the continental United States in 2004. In 2006 it was first detected in Indiana. It is capable of destroying a soybean crop if it becomes established in a field early and weather conditions favor the spread of infection. Kudzu and other perennial legumes may serve as host plants for soybean rust’s winter survival.
