Soybean rust found in Texas' southern tip: USDA

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The yield-cutting soybean rust fungus was found in the "remnants" of a harvested soybean field in southern Texas about 15 miles from its border with Mexico, the U.S. Agriculture Department said on Friday.

With the discovery, the fungus has been identified in 21 counties in four states this year. Last year, it was found in 274 counties in 15 states, double the total in 2005.

"Soybean rust was observed in remnants of a commercial soybean field near Monte Alto (Hidalgo County) that was harvested in December 2006" Texas officials reported on a USDA web site. "The findings were on volunteers ... and a handful of plants ... that the combine missed.

"This field is scheduled to be disked in the next few weeks and planted to sorghum. The commercial soybean crop in Texas is still several weeks from planting. the soybeans with rust in Hidalgo County will be gone by then."

Rust has been confirmed in eight counties in Florida, seven in Georgia, five in Alabama and one in Texas.