Managing white mould in soybeans
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White mould (also known as Sclerotinia stem rot) has become a growing problem in soybeans over the last decade. As soybean yields increase, and strong soybean market prices continue, adding white mould disease prevention to your soybean management plan is more important than ever.
Known as a ‘yield robber’, white mould infections choke soybean plants of vital water and nutrients, severely restricting plant growth, and ultimately yield. Infection typically occurs in July across Ontario and Quebec, during the four-week soybean flowering period. Humid conditions, especially in lower parts of the plant canopy are ideal for infection, allowing spores to attack the flower petals. Infected flowers fall into the canopy where the disease proceeds to choke the plant of vital water and nutrients.
Managing white mould means staying ahead of the disease, because once a field is infected, you won’t often see the effects of the disease until it’s too late. Once a soybean plant is infected, the full impact of the disease won’t be obvious until the end of a plant’s full maturity, or a few weeks before harvest.
Planning ahead and having a prevention plan is your best strategy against white mould infection. Since the disease is so hard to predict and identify (spores are very small), a fungicide treatment should be part of a disease risk management strategy.
Viatude™ fungicide with Onmira™ active is the latest tool farmers can rely on for white mould protection and is now available for the 2023 growing season. Viatude is a unique fungicide with two highly effective active ingredients that both provide protection against white mould in soybeans and can easily be integrated into any soybean management system to combat disease.
This new fungicide also offers true resistance management, with two active ingredients that are effective against white mould and reduce the risk of resistance. Onmira active is known to be one of the strongest actives against white mould.
If you’re worried about white mould, a proactive protection plan is necessary to help soybeans reach their full yield potential. A prevention plan that includes a Viatude fungicide application can also offer peace of mind and a solid return on investment.
