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Wet, cold conditions cause concerns as harvest drags on

An agronomist with Seed Consultants says soybean pod shatter has been a problem in parts of the Midwest this fall.

Bill McDonald says pods shatter can lead to yield loss.

“My fear always is when soybeans get ready and then get wet and dry out again, if ground conditions are too wet to get on, your soybeans will start shattering out of the pod,” he says.

He tells Brownfield wet conditions have also caused stalk health issues in some crops.

“The corn just took everything out of the stalk to help make grain and it left us with basically a hollow stalk,” he says.

He says stalk deterioration could lead to some yield loss, but he is hopeful that farmers will be able to finish harvest before that happens.

McDonald says the slow harvest due to wet and cold conditions has also prevented farmers from making management practices to prepare for the next growing season.

If farmers weren’t able to apply burn down this fall – they’ll need to look at spring applications for weed control.

Audio: Bill McDonald, Seed Consultants Agronomist