LITTLE ROCK—Agriculture officials say soybean fields in a dozen Arkansas counties have confirmed cases of Asian soybean rust, a fungal disease that can damage crops.

The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture says soybean rust was initially found in Ashley, Chicot, Drew and Desha counties. It was later confirmed in Lincoln and Jefferson counties and most recently in Phillips, Lee, Monroe, Prairie, Arkansas and Woodruff counties. “It’s now above Interstate 40,” said Scott Monfort, an extension plant pathologist. “It’s just starting to build up to where we can find it.”

But Monfort said he doesn’t expect a widespread outbreak of the disease.

“For the most part, soybean rust will not be a problem in a majority of our statewide acreage because of the late arrival of the disease in the state,” he said. “Unfortunately, we estimate that a small percentage of our acreage could be impacted.”

The rust was initially brought into the state by high winds from tropical storms Fay and Gustav. Officials believe the rust spores came from an infested area in the Florida panhandle.

Growers can counter the fungus by spraying, but doing so will require a further outlay in a year in which they’ve endured record fuel and fertilizer prices. Before spraying, growers should be certain they would benefit from the fungicide application. Plants in the later growth stages would reach harvest before the disease would hurt yield.

“At this time, the south central and southeast part of the state is at more risk than the rest of the state and should be the primary area when considering applying a fungicide,” Monfort said.

The Arkansas soybean crop is worth close to $1 billion, second only to rice in value and first in acreage, with 3.15 million acres planted.

Soybean rust first appeared in Arkansas in November 2004, likely brought by Hurricane Ivan. So far this year, seven states, from Florida to Texas, have detected rust.