Prolonged moisture conditions over the past few weeks have increased concern for disease pressure in Manitoba crops.

Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers production specialist Kristen Podolsky says went it comes to soybeans in particular, the crop can do well in moisture, but there is a risk for development of phytophthora root rot and sclerotinia white mould.

She says phytophthora root rot has caused plants in some crops to wilt and die, with lesions along the soil line and stem.

"Unfortunately for that one, we can't do anything about it in-season, but if growers and agronomists are identifying it in the field, we can choose varities that have resistance in future years, and then of course, crop rotation," Podolsky says.

Podolsky says sclerotinia white mould has not be identified in the province yet, though she says producers can make a preventative fungicide application.

"Now in the past, we've seen only about a 20 per cent probability of a return to fungicide in soybeans, however in the years we've done these trials, there's been a bit lower disease pressure," Podolsky says, "so I would says growers should make the fungicide decision on a field-by-field basis, and take into account canopy closure, row spacing, and then is that soil wet? Has it been wet? Is that canopy moist?"

Despite disease concerns, Podolsky says soybeans have been advancing quickly, with most crops at the flowering to early pod stage.