White Mold Remains Costly Threat to Soybean Growers

The aggressive disease can lead to significant yield losses without timely treatment.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD News) — Crop specialists are warning soybean growers to keep white mold top of mind as the growing season progresses.

Ken Deibert with BASF says white mold cost farmers more than $280 million in yield losses in 2024 and can be devastating without timely management.

“It’s definitely a very aggressive disease. Certainly a disease we all want to keep our minds on in soybean growing areas, and certainly it tends to affect the soybean crop from canopy closure on. You know once you’ve had a history of white mold in that field, whether it’s from growing soybeans or crops like dry edible beans, canola, sunflowers, etc you know it usually persists as a problem in future years.”

Deibert says the management window for white mold is much smaller than many farmers realize, lasting just two to three weeks.

Related Stories
ASFMRA’s Craig Thompson shares insights for American farmers who are navigating farmland markets amid agricultural uncertainty.
OHFB President Bill Patterson shares an update from Washington on the group’s policy priorities and the issues shaping agriculture ahead of the 2026 planting season.
Weather remains the primary driver for wheat price outlook.
Acre reporting is crucial to maximize specialty crop aid.
For producers, success this season will require more than just a clean field; it will require meticulous record-keeping, a proactive written mitigation plan, and a constant eye on both the forecast and the federal docket.
Tidal Grow’s AlignN delivers encapsulated nitrogen to leaves, boosting in-season response, yield gains, and farm profits.

Knoxville native Neal Burnette-Irwin is a graduate from MTSU where he majored in Journalism and Entertainment Studies. He works as a digital content producer with RFD News and is represented by multiple talent agencies in Nashville and Chicago.


LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

The Washington State Tree Fruit Association says crop quality looks promising despite ongoing drought conditions.
New Fed surveys show farmland values remain historically high, though some Upper Midwest markets are beginning to soften.
Rep. Vicente Gonzalez says producers are concerned about the potential impact on cattle operations and livestock values.
A marriage into a South Georgia farm family sparked a lifelong commitment to agriculture.
Greg and Janis Thoren earned the honor for their conservation-minded approach to raising cattle and crops
Merck Animal Health shared insights on calf health at the Moly Manufacturing Beef and Greet.
Agriculture Shows
Hosted by Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady and RFD News Markets Specialist Tony St. James, Commodity Talk delivers expert insight into the day’s ag commodity markets just before the CME opens. Only on RFD-TV and Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147.
A look at the news, weather and commodities headlines that drove agriculture markets in the past week.
Everything profits from prairie. Soil, air, water — and all kinds of life! Learn how you can improve your land with prairie restoration, cover crops and prairie strips, while growing your bottom line.
From soil to harvest. Top Crop is an all-new series about four of the best farmers in the world—Dan Luepkes, of Oregan, Illinois; Cory Atley, of Cedarville, Ohio; Shelby Fite, of Jackson Center, Ohio; Russell Hedrick, of Hickory, North Carolina—reveals what it takes for them to make a profitable crop. It all starts with good soil, patience, and a strong planter setup.