Soybeans Are Maturing

Driving out to the farm this weekend I saw a lot of soybean fields that were turning yellow. That is a good sign harvest is approaching! The field of beans in the picture is a full season group 2,0 beans that were planted by the middle of May. I had another field of beans that were a little earlier, a group 1.9 that was planted early in June and they were turning yellow too. I have seen many areas in bean fields that were green and then turned brown. Those areas were likely infected with white mold or sudden death syndrome.

Soybeans are very daylight sensitive. When the days begin to get shorter the soybeans go from the vegetative phase to the reproductive phase. They begin to flower and set pods. The soybeans will continue to flower and set pods until cooler weather seems to trigger the soybeans into focusing on filling the pods. There is not a threat of a killing frost in the forecast so maybe many soybeans will have enough time to mature naturally.