May 15, 2019

• Soybean and dry bean seeding tips
• Weed control options for field peas
• Pre-plant and pre-emergent herbicide options for soybeans
• Save the Dates – Soybean Management and Research Transfer (SMART) Day on July 23 in Carman and Crops-a-palooza on July 24 in Carberry

Listen to the Bean Report here:

Seeding update

Pea and faba bean seeding are now wrapped up across the province. Field peas have emerged in some areas.

Soybean seeding started over the past two weeks in the central and northwest regions of Manitoba and some areas of the southwest. This week, soybean seeding will be fully underway across Manitoba. Signs of germination are visible in soybean fields seeded in early May.

Dry bean seeding has begun in some areas of central Manitoba, but will really get going toward the end of this week and into next week.

Soybean seed planted deep into moisture. (Credit: Stacy Pearson)

Germinated soybeans that were seeded on May 9. (Credit: Stacy Pearson)

Soybean Seeding Tips

• Aim to seed within two weeks of the last expected frost date in your region to avoid post-emergent frost damage. Look for the average date of the last spring frost in your region here.
• Target soil temperatures close to or greater than 10°C to prevent delayed emergence.
• Seed when the forecast looks favourable 24-48 hours after planting to avoid seed chilling injury.
• Prioritize cereal, pea and canola seeding before soybean seeding.
• Seed at a depth of 0.75 to 1.5 inches, accessing soil moisture if possible.
  • Read about the U of M’s pulse and soybean agronomy lab’s results on soybean seeding depth and seeding window here.
• Target 140,000-160,000 live plants/ac, adjusting the seeding rate (seeds/ac) to account for expected seed survival.
  • Use MPSG’s Bean App seeding rate calculator to help determine your seeding rate.
• Inoculating soybeans with Bradyrhizobium japonicum bacteria will facilitate nodulation and N-fixation. Double inoculate fields with no soybean history and consider single inoculating fields according to the “single inoculation checklist” found here.

For a full summary of soybean seeding information, read on here.

Dry Bean Seeding Tips

• Aim to plant dry beans from mid-May to early June in Manitoba to avoid post-emergent frost.
• Seed at a depth of 0.75  to 2 inches, depending on the bean type. Place seeds into moisture if possible.
• Target plant stand (live plants/ac) varies depending on dry bean market class and row spacing.
• Calculate seeding rates (seeds/ac) to account for loss in survivability and economics.
• Conduct a soak test to assess seed damage:
  • Place 200 seeds in water and calculate the percentage of seed coats that slough off. These seeds may produce a “bald head” seedling that emerges without cotyledons and does not produce a viable plant.

For the full summary of dry bean seeding information, read on here.

Table 1. Average seed weights and optimum target plant stands of different dry bean market classes for 30″ row spacing, unless otherwise specified.

Herbicide Options for Field Peas

Pre-plant/Pre-emergent Herbicide Options for Soybeans