Warm, windy days accelerated crop maturity. Many soybean fields of 1.5 RM and earlier are ready, and combines are rolling in many areas.
Harvest soybeans when they reach 13 percent to 14 percent moisture. Moistures above this incur a price discount, and moistures below result in less weight at the elevator.
The loss of salable weight can be more substantial than typical price discounts for wetter grain, so avoid delivering over-dry soybeans. In addition to lost income, harvest losses are also increased when soybeans are harvested too dry.
Soybeans dry very quickly after reaching maturity. At physiological maturity (R7), grain moisture is over 50 percent, but a harvestable moisture of near 13 percent can be reached in as little as two weeks under good drying conditions. In order to time harvest perfectly, monitor soybean drying very closely.
At full maturity (R8), 95 percent of pods have reached their mature pod color. From this point, only five to 10 good drying days are needed before harvest. Begin checking grain moisture before all the leaves have dropped off all the plants, since various stresses can cause soybeans to retain some leaves. It is not uncommon to see a few green leaves and stems on some plants after the pods are fully ripe and the soybeans are dry enough for harvest.
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If harvest is delayed, a number of potential losses may occur, including the increased tendency to shatter. Soybeans at harvest stage lose and reabsorb moisture readily, and after several such cycles of wetting and drying are predisposed to shatter. In addition, delayed harvest often results in losses from increased lodging and reduced grain quality.
Put safety first. Be sure to have charged fire extinguishers handy, keep equipment clean, and make sure all guards and shields are in place.
