News

Conditions ripe for white mold

Wet and humid conditions in soybean fields during flowering pose potential for white mold challenges.  Michigan State University Extension Educator Mike Staton says there needs to be all three conditions in the disease triangle for an outbreak.

“You have to have the pathogen, you have to have the right environmental conditions, and you have to have a susceptible host in order to have the disease.”

Staton tells Brownfield farmers have two of those three right now, the weather conditions and a susceptible plant.  He says almost all soybeans are susceptible to white mold.

Staton says foliar fungicides are one of the best management tools available to growers at this point in the season.  “Two of the products that have surfaced to the top of our trials in the past have been Endura and Approach.”

Staton tells Brownfield, if field conditions are too wet, research varies from R-1 to R-3 as the optimum time for farmers to apply.  “If you really think your field is susceptible to white mold, I would not be at all afraid to put it on at R-2 for sure.”

Staton says proper application and sprayer calibration can also help better manage diseases.

AUDIO: Interview with Mike Staton (4:12 mp3):