Late season, The Bean Report

The Bean Report – September 11, 2024

SEPTEMBER 11, 2024

Crop Update

  • Soybeans range from R6 (full seed) to late R7 (mid- maturity) with most crops at R6.5 to R7.
    • Soybean Maturity Guide →
    • High forecasted temperatures and warm overnight lows are expected to advance soybean maturity quickly.
    • Late-season stem diseases like pod and stem blight or anthracnose may be noticed on the odd plant in the field. With these diseases setting in at this late stage and occurring at low severities, they are not expected to impact yield or quality. White mould has been found in more fields this year, stems are bleached with wilted, dried up leaves. Break stems open to look for hard, black sclerotia bodies to confirm the presence of white mould.
    • Soybean Harvest Information →
    • Reducing Soybean Harvest Losses →
  • Field pea harvest is nearing completion. Pea yields range from 30 to 90 bu/ac, depending on region.
  • Dry beans range from R8.5 (mid-maturity) to R9 (full maturity). Some fields have already been undercut or desiccated, while straight-cut harvest is expected to start this week.
    • If desiccating, target the R9 (full maturity) stage when 80% of leaves have dropped and 80% of pods had changed to their mature colour in the greenest areas of the field. Seeds in the youngest pods will have lost their green colour when split in half. Dry Bean Desiccation and Harvest Guide →
    • The maximum safe storage moisture for dry beans is 16%. Seed moisture below 16% increases the risk of cracked seed coats and split beans. Seed moisture above 18% increases the risk of heating and spoilage. Moisture will fluctuate throughout the day and should be monitored. Handle edible beans as little and as gently as possible.
    • Harvesting Tips to Improve Dry Bean Quality →
  • Faba beans range from late R7 (mid-maturity) to R8 (full maturity).
    • Faba beans may be combined when moisture is at 18-20%. Harvested seed should be aerated to 16% for long-term safe storage. See below for more harvest tips.
    • Harvesting and Drying Faba Beans →
  • Post-Harvest and Long-Term Storage of Soybeans and Pulses →

Soybean Harvest

  • Soybeans are ready for harvest once seed moisture is <14%, around 5-10 days after R8 (full maturity) has been reached. At R8, 95% of pods are brown, all leaves have dropped and seeds rattle within pods.
  • Soybeans can be combined when seed moisture is below 20%, but seed must be stored at <14%. Avoid harvesting at <12% seed moisture to prevent cracking and splitting.
  • Soybeans may be direct harvested (straight cut) or swathed. Direct harvesting is the preferred method. If swathed, combine shortly after to avoid quality loss. Soybeans are easily damaged by rain if left in the swath.
  • Keep harvest speed below 5 mph to minimize header losses. Measure losses regularly during harvest to optimize your combine settings.
  • If soybean seed moisture is <11%, harvest when humidity is high to reduce shatter loss and mechanical damage.
  • Reducing Soybean Harvest Losses →

Faba Bean Harvest

Faba beans mature in 105 – 110 days depending on moisture conditions. The crop matures from the bottom of the plant to the top with the lower leaves darkening and dropping and the bottom pods maturing and turning black from the bottom of the plant upwards.

Faba beans can be direct harvested or swathed. However, swaths can be difficult to pick up and do not dry out well if they are rained on.

Harvest aids are a tool available to dry down faba beans more quickly as well glyphosate can be used for weed control before harvest. All harvest aids must be applied when the crop is 30% moisture or less. It is important to consult with your buyer about the best product option and potential product limitations as some buyers may not accept pre-harvest glyphosate on faba beans.

  • Combine fabas when moisture content is at 18 – 20% moisture to reduce shattering and cracking
  • For safe storage, aerate faba beans to 16% moisture, tough is considered 16.1 – 18% moisture and >18% damp
  • Monitor temperature as well as moisture as cooler grain can store longer
  • Faba bean coats are tougher than peas but care still needs to be taken to prevent mechanical damage
  • Combines should be set with maximum clearance and reduced cylinder /rotor speeds of 300-400 rpm
  • Monitor sample for splits and cracks and assess sample to tweak settings
  • Harvesting & Drying Faba Beans →
  • Post Harvest & Long-Term Storage of Pulses →

Residue Management Following Soybean Harvest

This spring we faced heavy winds which in some areas impacted soybeans and dry beans from sandblasting, this was magnified by our cool wet slow start to the year. As we get closer to soybean harvest, residue management comes more to top of mind.

Research has shown that soybean residue left on the soil surface can break down without incorporation. Dr. Yvonne Lawley at the University of Manitoba found that ground cover by soybean residue broke down naturally by 31 to 57 % from fall to spring.

This research also found that discing, cultivating and vertical tilling, compared to no-till, had no effect on soil temperature and moisture at a 2-inch depth during emergence the following spring. There were no yield differences among these soybean residue management practices in the following corn and wheat crops.

Decisions about residue management are always farm, field and equipment specific, but the results of this on-farm study can provide some food for thought about our current thinking and practices for soybean residue management in conventional tillage systems in Manitoba.

Balancing P and K Nutrient Budgets

  • The P and K removed with harvested soybean and pulse seed is high and there is a limited crop capacity to tolerate seed-placed fertilizers.
  • Early harvest allows time for a large addition of P and/or K fertilizer or manure in the fall.
  • For example, in a soybean-canola-wheat rotation (yielding 40, 50 and 60 bu/ac, respectively) over thee years we would require approximately 140 lbs P2O5/ac to match the P removed. You could apply 100 lbs P2O5/ac in the fall, reserving an application of 20 lbs P2O5/ac as starter fertilizer for both the canola and wheat crops, which are more likely to respond to seed-placed P fertilizer than soybeans.
    • This one-time P application should be incorporated, or banded, to reduce nutrient losses due to surface run off. This fertilization strategy would maintain soil fertility over the course of the rotation, saving time and cart space during seeding.

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