The success of many of your soybean management decisions depend on the stage of the plant. For example, herbicide applications can injure a plant if applied during the wrong stage, says Seth Naeve, University of Minnesota Extension agronomist. That is why it’s important to identify growth stages rather than just look at plant height.
Use this guide to understand the vegetative and reproductive stages of soybeans. “Plant stages are determined by classifying leaf, flower, pod and/or seed development,” Naeve says.
Remember, stages can overlap. A growth stage begins when 50% or more of the plants are in or beyond that stage.
Black Layer in Soybeans
You are familiar with the corn development stage when the kernel stops growing and hits maximum kernel dry weight. This physiological maturity stage, called black layer, can also be identified in soybeans. When a soybean pod’s membrane no longer clings to the seeds, the pod has reached black layer. Afterward, soybeans begin drying down from about 60% moisture to about 13% moisture.
