Product and Agronomy Research (PAR) Results: Strategies for Early Soybean Harvest

Strategies for Early Soybean Harvest – Third and Final Year (2020 -22)

Description: 

There are several reasons growers have questions related to harvesting soybeans early. Cover crop establishment is one of the reasons and the initial purpose for conducting this project.  Other reasons include tile projects, manure management, early soybean contracts or simply an early start on harvest. We will investigate two methods of achieving early soybean harvest.  The first is using ultra early soybean varieties and second using desiccation of soybean in the late R7 and early R8 stage of development using herbicides.  We will then evaluate yield performance and economic returns for this system.

Treatments for 2020:

1. DSR-0847E™
2. DSR-1673E™
3. DSR-2259E™
4. DSR-3058E™ and desiccant at R7
5. DSR-3365E™ and desiccant at R7
6. DSR-3058E™ and desiccant at R8
7. DSR-3365E™ and desiccant at R8
8. DSR-3587E™
9. DSR-3058E™

Treatments for 2021:

1. DSR-1673E™
2. DSR-2040E™
3. DSR-2640E™
4. DSR-3177E™ and desiccant at R7
5. DSR-3587E™ and desiccant at R7
6. DSR-3177E™ and desiccant at R8
7. DSR-3587E™ and desiccant at R8
8. DSR-3587E™
9. DSR-3177E™

Treatments for 2022:

1. DSR-1505E
2. DSR-2188E
3. DSR-2717E
4. DSR-3177E desiccated at R7
5. DSR-3499E desiccated at R7
6. DSR-3177E desiccated at R8
7. DSR-3499E desiccated at R8
8. DSR-3177E
9. DSR-3499E

Results 2020:

Wabash, IN

Mt. Hope, WI

Results 2021 - Wabash:

Results 2022 - Wabash: 

Two-year analysis 2021 and 2020

Multi-Year Combined Analysis:

Three years of field research has clearly indicated an unexpected conclusion. At the inception of the project, Dairyland Seed agronomists were investigating the best options to accommodate early harvest of soybeans. Our data shows there exists a couple suitable options. Not only did we find viable options, but may have found some yield increases. Desiccation for early harvest had intriguing results yet again in 2022. Although we did not run statistics for all three years combined, 2020 and 2021 combined analysis showed a statistically sound yield increase for desiccating soybeans at the R8 growth stage. Simple trend line yields for all three years 2020, 2021 and 2022 show an advantage of late R stage desiccation. In 2022 we gained 1.35 bushel looking at R7 and R8 desiccation combined. All three years data indicate penalties for certain early soybean harvest strategies and other strategies having a yield advantage.

We continued using an early to ultra-early soybean for the geography. As expected, we lose a little yield by shortening our maturity too much. The best option seems to be using a maturity soybean which is about a half maturity group earlier than recommended for the area. These beans gained us 5 to 10 days in harvest time. There was a yield loss at about 3-5 bushel in previous years and nearly 10 bushel in 2022. The fuller season varieties desiccated early gave us a similar harvest date and a slight yield boost. That yield increase, depending on the year, could cover the costs of desiccant and application and get you harvesting 5 to 10 days earlier. In some years that’s the difference between 9% harvest moisture and 13%. We are all aware of issues with beans too dry or the advantage of 5 to 10 more harvest time.  In summary, use either .5 maturity earlier than your earliest bean or use your typical bean and defoliate them at R7 to R8.

Brian Weller Western Region 507.456.3034	Dan Ritter Central Region 219.863.0583	Branden Furseth Northern Region 608.513.4265	Mark Gibson Eastern Region 260.330.8968	Amanda Goffnett Eastern Region 989.400.3793

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