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Soybean white mold risk higher

A University of Wisconsin soybean researcher says the risk for white mold is very high in some areas this year.  Shawn Conley says they already have several reports of white mold in soybeans.

Conley tells Brownfield farmers should scout fields and remember the history of a field when it comes to managing white mold.  “It’s understanding the history of the crop you have out there.  Have you had white mold in the past?  What about the soybeans you have out there, are they looking good? Are they flowering? (These are) all things to be considering before growers make that decision to spray that fungicide out there to manage white mold in soybeans.”

Conley says spotting the early signs of white mold is not easy.  “When you’re out there looking for it, you’re looking for the apothecium, which are the little mushrooms that are growing out there.  They’re pretty tough to find and a lot of times, growers and crop consultants misdiagnose them.”

University of Wisconsin Plant Pathologist Damon Smith developed a white mold risk map available online, and Conley says this tool can help soybean growers in several states.