Almost a decade ago, a group of University of Nebraska Extension Educators collected moisture samples from 115 truckloads of soybeans . Close to 20% were below 10% moisture and almost 40% were below 11%. Maybe not a big deal – until you consider that 11 percent moisture soybeans represent a 3+% yield loss versus beans harvested at 13% moisture. We can’t harvest every acre at optimum moisture, but consider these ‘options’ to help a little:
- Consider harvest at a higher moisture level – 14/15%. Soybeans are fully mature when 95% of the pods are a mature tan color, likely with leaves still on the plant. It will mean slower harvest speeds and combine adjustments throughout the day as conditions change, but if they can be done without costing too much time/money, they might help.
- Harvest under optimum conditions and when doing so may make it possible to capture overnight moisture. It can also help reduce shattering losses (4-5 beans per square foot = +/- 1 bushel/A loss.
- Remember: soybeans dry down faster than corn. Work by KSU Farming Systems Specialist Dr. Ignacio Ciampitti looked at the moisture content of soybeans during different growth stages, focusing on the dry down time from black layer to harvest. From late September through mid-October, the dry down rate (58 down to 12%) was +/- 3%/day, taking just 15 days in many cases. Temperature/humidity/water content at maturity all affect this dry down, but it often occurs more quickly than we think.
There’s a lot to balance during harvest. Soybean harvest moisture is just one consideration, but it deserves at least a little attention to see how big of a factor it may be in maximizing soybean yield – and revenue.
