White Mold in Soybeans Questions: There’s no need to worry about spraying if you don’t have a history of this disease in your fields. If you did have white mold in 2023, there’s potential for it in 2025. There’s also a lot of confusion about what white mold looks like. If one is in a corn/soy rotation, corn residue in a soybean field often has a “white fungal” growth on it this time of year. That’s due to saprophytic fungi doing their job in decaying that organic material; nothing to worry about! There’s also many types of mushrooms that are involved with decaying organic material that one might find in a field. Seeing mushrooms does not mean they’re going to create white mold. The fungus that causes white mold of soybeans creates mushrooms from black sclerotia that look like mouse droppings. When you scout within a soybean canopy, the mushrooms will be attached to the sclerotia on the soil surface. They also have a specific look to them. You can learn more from Dr. Dylan Mangel, Extension Soybean Pathologist, in this CropWatch article: https://go.unl.edu/opv3.

County Fairs: Thanks to all who made the Seward and Fillmore County Fairs a success! This week is the York County Fair; the website that contains the schedule of events and ability to purchase tickets is at: http://www.yorkcountyfair.com/. For those interested in exhibiting items in Open Class, you can find the Fair Book in the Extension Office or online at: https://go.unl.edu/c2qn.  Entry times are Tuesday, July 29 from 6-8 p.m. and Wednesday, July 30 from 8-11 a.m.  

Testing Moisture in Forages: Dr. Mary Drewnoski sent out the following info. after a summer grazing field day, “accurate moisture testing is key to preventing spoilage and heating in hay and to ensuring proper fermentation in silage. Below are a few options, along with pros and cons:

Koster Moisture Tester
How it works: Uses a small scale and heating unit to determine moisture by weight loss.
Pros: High accuracy (considered the “gold standard”). Works for hay, silage, and other forages.
Cons: Slower process (20–60 minutes per sample). Requires a power source.
More info & instructions: UTIA Publication (PDF)
Where to buy: Koster Tester Website or search online for deals. Price is now around $500 (double a few years ago when I bought mine).

Hay Windrow Moisture Testers
How it works: Dish-style handheld electronic probes for quick readings in windrows or chopped samples.
Pros: Fast and easy to use in the field. Measures a wider range of moisture (13–70%) compared to standard bale probes, making them suitable for silage.
Cons: Less precise than Koster. Can require good sample prep for consistency.
Where to buy: There are mean options on Amazon or a simple google search with this term will give you option. Price range: $200–$400
DIY Option: If you already have a hand held bale probe, here’s a way to adapt it: Progressive Forage Article

Microwave Oven Method
How it works: Drying a forage sample in the microwave to measure weight loss.
Pros: Very low cost (just need a microwave and scale). Works for both hay and silage.
Cons: Time-consuming and requires caution (fire hazard if overheated and results in potential for increased error). Not as convenient for field testing.
Directions: UNL CropWatch Article