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Planting soybeans later could help manage white mold

A crop expert says farmers who have battled white mold in recent years need to plan ahead.

Lynn Justesen, tech services lead for row crops with UPL, says planting affected areas later has proven results.  “Because (planting) early you get that better chance of cool, wet weather, and a better chance of Sclerotinia to be built up,” he says.  “Those will also be the most vegetatively grown beans.  They’ll be the biggest beans and they’ll stay wet longer under canopy.  Those are all things that lead to the chance of more white mold showing up.”

He tells Brownfield there are other adjustments farmers can make to manage the disease.  “A wider row spacing can in fact help,” he says. “And a little bit less dense plant population.  We probably overplant soybeans most years and we could actually do with a little bit less plant population to help manage white mold.”

Justesen says when battling white mold a fungicide like Zolera FX is most effective when planted at R1 in soybeans.

AUDIO: Lynn Justesen, UPL