White mold pressure was commonplace this past year. Those fungal spores will remain in the soil for up to ten years. Channel Technical Agronomist Lindsey Novak, who is based in Bismarck, advises farmers to have a fungicide plan in place now. Resources are available to weigh the fungicide investment, including the NDSU disease forecasting tools. Fungicides are seen as part of a broader, planned disease management strategy. “For example, choosing hybrids and varieties with a stronger disease tolerance can definitely cut down on how much spraying you’ll need and those ratings, of course, will be available in your seed guide,” said Novak. “With soybeans and white mold, consider adjusting your planting population and adjusting your growth spacing to help mitigate some of those diseases.” Novak said it is also important to set realistic yield goals to make sure the fungicide investment pays off. Listen to the full interview.
