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Diseases & Disorders

All Diseases & Disorders Content
a black and yellow respirator mask with blue protective gloves in the background.

Wearing a Respirator? Then No Facial Hair for You!

At commercial or private applicator re-certification trainings, it is possible to hear the phrase, “Don’t wear a respirator if you have facial hair!” Facial hair, whether a full beard or stubble, may prevent respirators from sealing to the skin or interfere with their valve function.

two white pigs with pink ears and noses.

What Would African Swine Fever Look Like if it Hit the US?

The incursion and expansion of African Swine Fever (ASF) into China has raised concerns among producers and regulatory officials about the threat the disease may pose to the U.S. swine industry.

A healthy, growing soybean field. Farmyard in the background.

Soybean Growers Sought for On-Farm Research Program

We want you! SDSU Extension and the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council are seeking South Dakota Soybean Growers willing to participate in a farmer-led on-farm research program.

several yellow and black striped beetles feeding on plant leaves

What's Bugging Your Garden? Cucumber Beetles

Striped cucumber beetles are little yellow and black striped beetles that are fairly small, but what they lack in size they make up for in numbers and appetite.

hand holding three green apples with a dimpled, lumpy appearance

Apple Issues

Learn to identify and manage common apple tree issues including: apple maggot injury, apple scab, cedar apple rust, and fruit cracking.

ash leaves with orange to yellow gall-like spots

Tree Rust Diseases

Ash rust and crown rust are two common rust diseases that impact South Dakota trees.

Two side-by-side grape diseases. Left: Black Rot. Right: Downy Mildew.

Black Rot & Downy Mildew: Two diseases that can rot grapes

There are several different diseases that can infect the fruit, but two of the most common are black rot and downy mildew. Their symptoms are quite different.

hand holding grape leaf with several bumps throughout

Phylloxera: A Grape Pest

Some grape growers may notice that some of their shoots have bumpy growths on the bottom of new leaves. These bumps are galls caused by the grape phylloxera, an aphid-like insect.

closeup of a pig's face, focused on its eyes

Swine Respiratory Health: Detecting Multiple Viruses

Over the past decade, surveillance and diagnosis of respiratory agents have been revolutionized by the use of non-invasive techniques such as oral fluids sampling.

Flock of mosquitoes in front of sunset.

West Nile in South Dakota: Expect Cases Into Early Fall

While it’s true that in South Dakota most West Nile Virus cases occur during August, new human infections are detected well into September in most years.