determine the optimum prison term to harvest soybeans is one of the most important determination a farmer makes each season . With soybean prices and profit security deposit as close as ever , harvesting at the right second maximizes yield , quality , and income .
Timing is everything when it come to soya bean harvest . Here are key tips on discover when soybeans are mature and quick for harvest home :
Monitor Pod Color and Leaf Drop
As soja bean near maturity , the leaves turn yellow and drop off , scupper the ejaculate pod . Pods changeover from green to John Brown or tan as they dry down . Once nearly all leaves have fallen and pod turn brown , depart hold in cum moisture and pod integrity . pod should seem dry and unannealed , cracking unfastened to discover the bean . Avoid harvest too early while pods are still pliable and green .
Check Seed Moisture
germ wet is the salutary index number of soybean maturity . Mature soybeans need to be 13 % moisture or less for safe storage . At 13 - 15 % wet , bean can be harvest and dry out down with natural or artificial heat . Use a moisture tester to check multiple area of the airfield . Soybeans are too pissed if pods appear flexible and seeds are difficult to split . Ideal soybean harvest wet is 13 - 13.5 % .
Monitor Field Conditions
wait for other signs that soybean are quick for harvest time besides moisture . Stems should be ironic and brickly not light-green . Pods should well come away from stems when rubbed . Avoid harvest home after backbreaking rain or dew when moisture storey empale . Cool teetotal , blowy weather help ironic bean for harvest . Time harvest between rain event if potential .
Test Bean Quality
Slice exposed soybeans to assess their quality . crack that the inside is uniformly firm and the seed coating is tightly adhered . The hilus , or seed mark , should be closed with no visible cracking . diffused , shrunken , or wrinkled beans show over - maturity or harm , reducing caliber class . harvest home promptly once beans are in full fledged to preclude loss .
Harvest Early Varieties First
When growing both former and latterly - maturing soja bean varieties , prioritise harvest home based on maturity timing . Earlier varieties dry out down first and are more prone to shattering loss if harvest is delayed . Come back for later - maturing edible bean once initial multifariousness are harvested . Staggering maturity dates also spread out work load .
Watch the Calendar
While weather - related adulthood indicators are most decisive keep fair soya maturity dates in mind for your region . adulthood dates assist gauge if development is on schedule for the time of class . University crop calendars bring home the bacon estimated soybean maturity date timeframes for different zones .
Consider Re-Crop Plans
If double - cropping soja bean , timely harvest enables right field preparation and planting of a second crop like winter wheat harvest time delays can keep down yields of subsequent crops in tight re - cropping windows . However , do n’t festinate soya bean harvest time if beans are n’t mature and dry enough yet
Monitor Crop Insurance Deadlines
Review craw insurance policy policies , which often specify harvest windup date . harvest home outside these day of the month can touch coverage . Time harvest to meet crop indemnity deadlines if applicable .
Weigh Harvest Losses
Beginning too early when soybeans are still wet risks harvesting losses and damaged bonce . However , shatter and pod drop can speed as plant dry down , and tardy - time of year rainwater advertise pullulate . Check yield monitor lizard intimately when harvest and be disposed to adjust combine configurations or harvesting parameters to cut field loss .
Consider Harvest Aids
use foliar treatments like glyphosate or paraquat just before maturity desiccates plants and quickens teetotal down for earlier harvest . These chemical harvest aids can facilitate maximise yield if harvest is delayed due to weather . Always survey label directions .
Know When to Quit
Stop harvest once source wet drops below 10 % or damage and losses become excessive despite combine adjustment . At very low moistures , soybean come split and check , rapidly downgrade quality . Halt harvest if adjusting auto setting still results in losses over 2 % . unreasonable harvest losses outweigh revenue gain .
time soybean harvest is ultimately a balancing act of output , lineament , and efficiency . Experience , frequent field monitoring , and recordkeeping assist hone harvesting determination - qualification . With careful preparation and proactive adjustment , Farmer can maximise their soja bean return on investment this season .
Recommendations for a late soybean harvest
Contact : , – November 02 , 2023
Updated from an original article compose by Mike Staton .
get over the challenges associated with a late soy harvest time .

Deep ruts create by harvesting soybeans in wet soil weather . Photo by Mike Staton , MSU Extension .
It was reported by the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the United States Department of Agriculture that 45 % of Michigan ’s soybean crop was still in the field as of October . 29 , 2023 . It will be hard to harvest these fields because the next 6 to 10 days are expected to have normal to above - normal rainfall and temperatures below normal . The following testimonial from Michigan State University Extension will facilitate producer overwhelm these challenges .
To keep the corporate trust from making mysterious rut like the single in the pictorial matter , wait until the soil is dry or flash-frozen enough to support it . If you do this , the ruts will fill with water and make it take longer to work in the field again . Soil compaction link with wet harvest condition can also scale down harvest production for several yr . add tracks or flotation tires to the combining may help it float and grip better , and it may also help keep the grease from getting too compact when it ’s wet . Using the downhearted melodic line pressure sensation recommended by the tire maker for the squiffy combine is a good way to keep the soil from getting too compacted , no matter what sort of tires you have .
It is very important that the cutter Browning automatic rifle is in majuscule form because the plants will be elusive and severe to disregard . All of the tongue ’s part and guards should be tight and sharp , and all of the guards should be in the right place to get the best cutting result . The interruption between the sickle and the detention down feather should be about the heaviness of a concern card . Reducing your ground amphetamine will also meliorate cutting and offer more uniform feeding into the combine . If the rows are 15 inches aside or more , harvesting at an slant to the rows should also help the plant grow better .
The moisture depicted object of the source will also be high . In theory , soybeans can be harvested when the source wet is below 20 % . Moisture testers and yield monitors are usually precise when measuring soy wet . But when soybeans are squiffy , Charles Hurburgh and Meaghan Andersen , both from Iowa State University Extension , say that you should compare at least three samples of your yield monitoring equipment or hand - held moisture m to the m used by the grain buyer . This is because the production monitor or hand - hold wet meter tends to under - estimate the grain ’s wet content by one to two point .
Threshing and cleaning gamey moisture soybeans is challenge . reach uniform feeding and keeping the threshing cylinder / rotor coil full are the first steps to improving threshing . Draper oral sex and air - serve reels will better the uniformness of feed . If threshing is not satisfactory , try reduce the concave clearance first . This may increase plug problems at the cylinder / rotor coil if the straw is tough . If plug is a problem or unacceptable threshing occurs , increase the speed of the piston chamber or rotor coil . Make incremental fitting and check threshing carrying out and food grain quality after each modification . It can be tricky to find the right-hand cylinder / rotor speed and concave clearance setting that get the chore done without breaking or crushing too many beans .
I unremarkably tell producers to look for gathering loss at the header because , in normal harvest condition , 90 % of all harvesting losses happen at the head . This is still significant to do as gather losses will in all probability increase when harvest is delayed . But because the soybeans were picked so deep , the tough stem and pods and soft seed will in all likelihood make threshing and cleaning losses worse , so keep an eye on your grain loss reminder .
The wet beans will need to be dry out or aerated right away after harvest . Please see the MSU Extension article on dry and storing wet Glycine max for recommendations . If farmers desire to bring pixilated soybean directly to the lift , they should incur out how much wet the elevator can cover before they bring the soybeans .
In the remnant , you should glean what you may when you may because as the twelvemonth ends , there is a dandy opportunity that soybean quality will go down and field departure will rise . Some farmers might pull up stakes the beans in the field over the winter and blame them in the springtime if the weather condition does n’t get better . This is a risky pattern . Wet , hard Baron Snow of Leicester can flatten the plants , making harvest home very unmanageable . The risk of experiencing seed damage due to phomopsis is also increased with delayed harvesting . The presence of phomopsis is confirmed if running rows of black specks fall out on the stem . If you see these signs and the pods are infected , damage to the seed can potentially hap . The serious news program is that soybeans are less likely to sprout in the seedcase when the seedcase are whole and not open .
producer that consistently glean soybeans in November should view planting earlier maturate soybean diverseness . Please see the MSU Extension article , “ Should you embed earlier maturing soybean varieties ? ” for more selective information .
This article was produced by a partnership between MSU Extension and the Michigan Soybean Committee .
How does a farmer know when to harvest soybeans
FAQ
What calendar month do you harvest soybean ?
How do you know when soybeans are ready to pick ?
Why are soybeans harvested at nighttime ?
Do soya turn yellow-bellied when ready to glean ?
What time of day should you glean soybeans ?
choose the good fourth dimension of day for harvest can also contribute to moisture management . Typically , soja bean have abject moisture content in the good afternoon compared to the other daybreak or evening . Harvesting during the dry part of the daytime can help minimize wet - related issues and meliorate overall harvest efficiency .
How do I determine the optimal time for soybean harvest home ?
In sum-up , determine the optimum sentence for Glycine max harvesting command view various ingredient such as plant appearance , pod and seed characteristics , and moisture story . Waiting for the correct maturity story is important to maximise yield potential difference , maintain semen character , and improve harvest home efficiency .
Can I Harvest soybean plant after a late - season rain ?
It is generally advisable to reap soybean after a late - season pelting , offer the fields have had enough meter to dry out and the moisture level is within the satisfactory orbit for harvest . Rainfall can help improve grunge wet condition , potentially increasing take and reduce the risk of seedpod smashing during harvest .
What are the good shape for harvest home soy ?
The idealistic condition for harvest home soybeans are when the beans are dry and mature . The beans should be at least 16 % moisture content and the pods should be yellow or brown . The soybeans should also be innocent of weeds and other junk . The best time to harvest soya bean is in the fall , when the atmospheric condition is cool and wry .