Soyabean rust was discovered in a third county in South Carolina, but the US Agriculture Department said on Wednesday that the spread of the highly contagious fungus will be limited to Georgia and Florida in the next few days.
The disease, which can slash yields by up to 80 percent, was found in Calhoun County, South Carolina. The USDA did not say what type of plant the disease was found on.
Since soya rust was first discovered in the continental United States last November, the yield-cutting fungus has remained in the southern part of the country. This year rust has also been found in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida, all minor soyabean growing states.
Still, even if more cases of soyarust are found, it's unlikely to affect crops, many of which are nearing maturity.