Soybeans are a common farm crop produced for the oil market as well as livestock feed and human consumption. The plant grows under a wide variety of climate conditions with many of the new hybrids offering shorter maturity dates, allowing northern farmers more options for growing soybeans. The soybean plant adapts to changing fall weather conditions and is commonly ready for harvest before other row crops such as corn. Does this Spark an idea?
Maturity Dates and Varieties
Different varieties of soybeans mature at different rates. This is often stated as a number of days and reflects the estimated time between planting and crop maturity. Many soybean varieties have maturity dates ranging between 90 and 150 days with some hybrids developed for northern regions even faster maturing. Growers should select a variety suited for their local climate. In some cases, farmers change varieties as spring planting approaches to respond to local weather conditions or even farm work delays.
Late Planting
Soybeans respond to the shortening days in the fall by accelerating the seed maturing process. This means a delayed planting may still lead to a harvestable crop in the fall. Purdue University estimates that for each three days the spring planting is delayed, the harvest is delayed one day. The acceleration of the maturity may lead to a smaller yield because the plant will set fewer pods.
Plant Emergence
It commonly takes a soybean seed about two days to germinate and sprout. The new plant doesn't emerge from the ground until about one week after planting. Plants are at the most vulnerable during this process and can be damaged by low temperatures or pests. If the initial planting is lost, the crop can be replanted with a shorter maturing variety in some circumstances.
Harvest
The best time to harvest is when the seed is fully developed but prior to the pod turning from green to yellow. Most commercial varieties of soybeans will hold in this window of development for about a week before the pod starts to dry. Once the pod dries, it is likely to shatter during harvest, leading to seed loss. The harvest dates are determined by the crop conditions since the maturity rate is affected by temperature and humidity levels. For example, a 100-day soybean may take 110 days from planting to maturity if conditions are cooler and wetter than normal.
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