White Mold ROI Calculator

Information on the Soybean White Mold ROI Calculator

The purpose of this calculator is to share results from university white mold fungicide trials conducted in the United States, and allow farmers and others in the agricultural industry to calculate the potential return on investment (ROI) for white mold fungicide applications based on research data included in this calculator.

The treatment cost, expected benefits, and breakeven probability values shown in the calculator are estimates based on data and not guaranteed values. Also, values are derived from data collected in trials designed to test specific product comparisons, and data are not available for all labeled fungicides for white mold. Data are not comprehensive and represent only the treatments tested in these trials.

How to cite information from this resource

Crop Protection Network. 2025. Soybean White Mold Return on Investment Calculator. North Central Regional Committee on Soybean Diseases (NCERA-137) Https://cropprotectionnetwork.org/white-mold-roi-calculator.

How were fungicide products selected for inclusion in the calculator?

The North Central Regional Committee on Soybean Diseases (NCERA-137) develops annual testing protocols based on feedback from university extension specialists. Trials typically test multiple fungicide products per year, per trial. Products are selected based on availability and market share, and typically represent products available to and used by a majority of farmers. Focus is also placed on newer products where efficacy data might be lacking across soybean production areas of the United States.

How were treatment costs determined?

NCERA-137 solicits information on white mold fungicide product pricing and application costs from university extension specialists annually. Methods for collecting these costs vary by state or province and year. Specialists may collect pricing information from surveys or direct feedback from university Extension, industry, farmers, and other agricultural personnel. Product and application costs are averaged, and a national mean and median are determined for each product based on submitted data. The treatment costs for each product listed can be changed to tailor the expected benefit estimates to local pricing.

How are expected net benefits/acre calculated?

The expected net benefit is an estimate of ROI when considering several variable factors that can be measured or estimated. These factors include the proportional yield benefit (yield of the treated plots vs. non-treated) for each fungicide across a range of disease levels. This is then combined with total treatment cost (cost of the fungicide plus application cost) and expected commodity sale price per bushel with both parameters fit to a function that estimates the expected net benefit per acre. This function is only a best estimate based on the available data and reported, real-world treatment costs. Unaccountable error and uncertainty exists in the data and actual ROI may occasionally be significantly different from the estimates reported here.

How are expected breakeven probabilities calculated?

Thousands of simulations were performed to estimate the expected ROI of fungicide usage application across a range of inputs used to calculate expected net benefits. The expected breakeven probabilities represent the proportion of total simulations that had an expected net benefit of zero or greater, given a fungicide and set of crop characteristic inputs.

What does disease severity index mean?

“Low disease” indicates simulations made using a disease index of 0-20, indicating low risk conditions. “Moderate disease” indicates simulations using a disease index of 21-40, indicating moderate risk conditions. “High disease” indicates simulations using a disease index of 41-60, indicating high risk conditions. The levels were chosen based on previous research. Disease severity index levels should be set at what is expected for a particular soybean variety in a particular field at the end of the season.

Disclaimer

This information is only a guide, but is based on multi-year research across multiple locations. Contributors and data managers assume no liability resulting from the use of these estimates.

References to products in this resource are 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.

The API for this web tool is at https://connect.doit.wisc.edu/soybean_prof_api/.

Find out More

The Crop Protection Network (CPN) is a multi-state and international collaboration of university and provincial extension specialists, and public and private professionals who provide unbiased, research-based information to farmers and agricultural personnel. Our goal is to communicate relevant information that will help professionals identify and manage field crop diseases.

Find more crop protection resources at the Crop Protection Network.

Acknowledgments

Data compilation

Maria Oros, Data Science Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Data development and contributions

Hope Renfroe-Becton, North Dakota State University; Maria Oros, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Adam M. Byrne, Michigan State University; Martin I. Chilvers, Michigan State University; Nathan Kleczewski, University of Illinois ; Horacio Lopez-Nicora, The Ohio State University; Brian D. Mueller, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Daren S. Mueller, Iowa State University; Damon L. Smith, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Darcy E.P. Telenko, Purdue University; and Richard Wade Webster, North Dakota State University.

Contact

For inquiries or feedback, please reach out Richard Wade Webster, North Dakota State University (richard.webster@ndsu.edu); and Maria Oros, Data Science Institute at University of Wisconsin-Madison (maria.oros@wisc.edu).

This project is hosted by the Crop Protection Network with support from USDA-NIFA and the United Soybean Board. Additional support for fungicide trials is provided by the soybean checkoff through the North Central Soybean Research Program.

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.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.