Smartphone Application to Forecast White Mold in Soybean Now Available to Growers
Published: 03/19/2019
Madison, WI — A new smartphone application, ‘Sporecaster,’ is now available for free download on both Android and iOS devices, that helps soybean farmers manage white mold. The application aides in the decision-making process of whether or not to apply a fungicide based on custom disease risk calculations for your field. The application was developed by University of Wisconsin Integrated Pest and Crop Management program scientists and researchers, Damon Smith (Field Crops Extension Pathologist), Roger Schmidt (Nutrient and Pest Management Program) and Shawn Conley (Soybean Extension Agronomist). Support for the application also included the Wisconsin Soybean Association and the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board. The application was programmed by personnel in the University of Wisconsin-Madison Nutrient and Pest Management Program.
According to a press release from the University of Wisconsin Integrated Pest and Crop Management Program, “the purpose of the app is to assist farmers in making early season management decisions for white mold in soybean. The best time to spray fungicides for white mold is during flowering (R1 and R3 growth stages) when apothecia (small, mushroom-like structures) are present on the soil surface. Apothecia release spores which infect senescing soybean flowers, leading to the development of white mold.”
A collaborative effort among regional soybean disease researchers, the Sporecaster application uses compiled research to best predict risk of white mold to a crop. Research has indicated that “the appearance of apothecia can be predicted using weather data and a threshold of percent soybean canopy row closure in a field. Based on these predictions and crop phenology, site-specific risk values are generated for three scenarios (non-irrigated soybeans, soybeans planted on 15″ row-spacing and irrigated, or soybeans planted on 30″ row-spacing and irrigated).” The application works by prompting its user with questions about the forecast date, the presence of soybean flowers as well as row closure to generate a forecast with a white mold risk percentage, as well as a percent recommendation for spraying. The application also includes illustrations to help make the prompts easier to understand, as well as saves input data from multiple fields to fully assess the need for fungicide applications. According to test trials, the application has an accuracy rating of 81.8 percent, encompassing 60 test fields across Nebraska, Michigan and Wisconsin, making it a helpful tool in giving growers the most accurate and complete information possible when making crop management decisions.
This publication was developed by the Crop Protection Network, a multi-state and international collaboration of university/provincial extension specialists and public/ private professionals that provides unbiased, research-based information to farmers and agricultural personnel. This information in this publication is only a guide, and the authors assume no liability for practices implemented based on this information. Reference to products in this publication is not intended to be an endorsement to the exclusion of others that may be similar. Individuals using such products assume responsibility for their use in accordance with current directions of the manufacturer.
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the State or local Agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
This work is supported by the Crop Protection and Pest Management Extension Implementation Program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
©2025 by the Crop Protection Network. All rights reserved.
