August 19, 2020

• Crop Update
• Dry Bean Desiccation
• Pea Harvest
• 2020 Pulse MRL Advisory
• On-Farm Network Update
• Soybean Yield Estimator
• Scouting for Soybean Cyst Nematode

Listen to The Bean Report:

Crop Update

• Soybeans are at R5.5 to R6 (mid to full seed). At this stage, soybeans are approximately 20 to 30 days away from R8 (full maturity).
  • Rains were welcome last Thursday and Friday to help fill soybean pods in fields that were showing flipped leaves and other signs of moisture stress.
  • We’ve been busy surveying soybean crops across Manitoba for the annual disease survey. We’re commonly finding foliar diseases in low severities, including bacterial blight, septoria brown spot and downy mildew. For stem diseases, we’re seeing northern stem canker and some phytophthora root rot.
  • Some soybean aphids and spider mites have been found, and grasshoppers are still present in some fields. Once soybeans reach R6 (full seed) damage from aphids and spider mites are no longer much of a threat to yield.
• Field pea harvest is underway, and later-seeded fields are nearing R7 (full maturity). Our On-Farm Network is reporting good yields so far, ranging from 52 bu/ac to 93 bu/ac.
• Dry beans are beginning to turn colour with the crop ranging between R7 (full seed) and R8 (beginning maturity).
  • In dry bean crops, we’re seeing low levels of bacterial blight and some white mould, overall at lower amounts than normal. White mould is an indicator that the crop has good yield potential.
• Faba beans are at R5 (full pod) to R7 (mid maturity).
• Lentils in western Manitoba are currently at R6 (full pod) and approaching R7 (physiological maturity).

Dry Bean Desiccation

Dry beans are ready for desiccation when 80–90% of leaves have dropped, 80% of pods have changed to their mature colour and when seed moisture is <30% in the least mature part of the field. Indicators of <30% seed moisture:

• Seeds rattle in the lowest pods – bottom pods are ripe and dry with seeds detached from the pod.
• Upper pods may still be yellow in colour.
• Seeds in the upper pods have lost their green colour when split.

Due to increasing restrictions on late-season herbicides, we advise farmers to determine if desiccation is truly needed. Do you have a stagey crop? Is there weed pressure that poses a threat of seed staining? These are a couple of questions to ask to assess the need for desiccant. Read our article on dry bean desiccation for more info.

If you are planning to desiccate your beans, only use registered products, apply them at the correct rate and timing, and consult with your buyer to keep tabs on product limitations.

Pea Harvest

• Peas are ready to harvest when all pods have turned golden brown and seed moisture is below 20%.
• To reduce pod shatter losses, combine in the humid part of the day and match the pick-up header or reel speed to ground speed. Note that tougher plant material may not feed as well.
• To reduce cracks and splits, run the combine and augers at low speeds and at full capacity. Low cylinder speeds will help with this too.
• If direct harvesting, flex headers and rigid headers can both be used successfully. Vine lifters and pick up reels aid in harvesting lodged crops by lifting the canopy up over the cutting bar.

On-Farm Network Update