White mold: variety selection is the best defense.

By DF Seeds  |  September 19, 2023

As any soybean grower knows, white mold can be devastating. Michigan experienced dry conditions early in the season and then heavy rains began in July.  

The impact of white mold is affected by 3 factors:  

• Flowers being present on the lowest nodes of the soybean plant 
• The amount and intensity of rainfall 
• The type of soil on your farm 

All these factors play a role in determining the impact of white mold. Ultimately, variety selection for resistance will determine your yield. DF Seeds tests all our varieties with Dr. Marty Chilvers, MSU Pathologist, at his white mold research plot in Montcalm County. We use DF 155 F as the check variety because of its proven performance against white mold. This research plot already has heavy disease pressure and then is irrigated to induce more disease pressure. Having this MSU research gives DF Seeds consistent data on the variety’s resistance to white mold even in years with low white mold presence in the rest of the state. Each DF variety is Michigan Grown, Michigan Proven, and includes valuable white mold resistance characteristics. 

Check out how our portfolio performed in the 2022 MSU Harvest results.