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White mold threat looms as soybean canopies close

White mold is a soybean disease that an agronomist warns could become a problem in the coming weeks.

Corey Klaphake with CHS says it favors cool, wet conditions after plant canopy.

“And there’s not as much air movement through there. That’s when white mold is going to take off, especially if you have a good history of it in your fields. That’s where you’re going to be concerned.”

He tells Brownfield a heat dome that’s blanketed much of the Midwest has probably helped delay the disease.

“From a preventative standpoint, fungicides do work on white mold. But they’ve got to be applied early to get that best effect, that R1, R2 stage. And we’re kind of already past that.”

Severe white mold outbreaks can reduce soybean yields by 20 to 50 percent.