Question: When is the best time to roll soybeans after emergence?
Answer: Producers who roll soybeans do so to smooth out their fields and push rocks and dirt clods into the soil in order to make the process of combining easier come harvest. Along with that, rolling soybean fields can allow you to use a lower combine cutterbar height. Be aware that there is potential for plant injury and subsequent yield loss when you roll soybeans after emergence, so do follow some precautions to minimize that possibility: Research indicates that if you roll fields when soybeans are between the cotyledon and first-trifoliate growth stages, you can minimize the chance of injury and plant loss. It’s also important to roll fields in the heat of the day when the plants are likely to be limp, and therefore less susceptible to breakage.
http://www.herald-journal.com/farmhorizons/2009/rolling-soybeans.html
