When all is said and done, soybean harvest timing plays a major role in preventing costly harvest losses. Soybean moisture content, plant maturity and weather conditions are the top factors to watch when determining when soybean harvest should begin. Learn how to navigate these factors to plan for an optimum soybean harvest.
Ideal soybean harvest moisture
Finding the sweet spot for moisture content is key to determining soybean harvest timing. Soybeans with moisture levels between 12% and 13% produce optimum yield. Harvesting high moisture soybeans above 13% can cause storage problems and subsequent dockage at the grain elevator.
On the other hand, harvesting with low moisture reduces yield. Moisture below 11% at harvest leaves soybeans at greater risk for shattering, and harvesting at 8% moisture can lead to over 5% yield loss.¹ Consider soybean desiccants for timely, uniform drydown of your crop for harvest.
Soybean planting date and plant maturity
Planting date typically has little bearing on soybean harvest timing because most soybeans begin flowering near June 20 (the longest day of the year). However, early-maturing soybeans will be ready for harvest much sooner than later-maturing varieties.
Regardless of which maturity group you planted, the visible signs of soybean plant maturity are all the same. When 95% of the pods have turned tan, your soybeans have reached the final growth stage, R8, and are at full maturity. R8 typically occurs five to 10 days before harvest.
Weather conditions that affect soybean harvest
Monitoring weather conditions throughout the growing season will help you determine if you need to adjust your soybean harvest timeline to prevent yield loss. For example, if crops have been impacted by drought and high heat conditions, harvesting soybeans before corn is recommended, as low-moisture soybeans carry a higher risk of grain shatter than corn. In fact, drought and extreme heat can reduce soybean yield by up to 70% during reproductive growth stages.²
Considering the effects of events during the season as well as watching upcoming forecasts during harvest is critical, as frosts, flooding, hail and winds can wreak havoc on your yield potential. If frost has occurred earlier in the season, as late as R6, which is approximately 6 weeks prior to harvest (when pods are still green), harvest can be difficult and dockages are likely at the grain elevator. On the other hand, soybean fields can typically withstand frost with minimal damage if plants are at R7 and close to full maturity (one or two pods on any of the upper four nodes have turned completely brown and the others are yellowish tan). Hail at harvest time can cause heavy yield losses due to shattering pods and seeds dropped to the ground.
In a nutshell, determining the right soybean harvest time is critical in preventing yield loss from weather events. Experts are available to help you make your soybean harvest decisions. Reach out to your seed retailer, a nearby extension office agent or a seed company professional like your regional BASF representative to learn more.
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Endnotes
- Saeugling, Aaron. “Soybean Harvest: When the Time is Right.” Integrated Crop Management, 15 Sept. 2023, crops.extension.iastate.edu/blog/aaron-saeugling/soybean-harvest-when-time-right. Accessed 29 Aug. 2024.
- Poudel, Sadikshya, et al. “Resilience of soybean cultivars to drought stress during flowering and early-seed setting stages.” Nature, 23 Jan. 2023, www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-28354-0. Accessed 29 Aug. 2024.
