Wet Harvest Considerations

We are pushing for the wettest September on record, and field conditions are showing it. Delayed harvest has brought concerns about standability, sprouting, and seed quality issues. We are looking at soybeans closely because the amount of damage allowed is much less than it is for corn. Soybeans with grain quality disease issues can quickly stack up dockage at grain terminals. Diseases like Purple Seed Stain and Phomopsis Seed Decay can be very prevalent under the weather conditions we have been experiencing.

Like foliar diseases, soybean grain diseases favor warm and wet weather conditions. September has generally been both, and we expect to see some disease issues in soybeans that were maturing during this weather pattern. Early soybeans, such as 2.5 to 2.9 maturities, are ones we are looking at more closely. Generally, if later-maturing soybeans still had leaves on them and had not matured, we see less disease progression.

As harvest gets underway, we need to keep a close eye on soybean grain quality because these diseases are considered damage. Grain terminals are very strict on soybean damage and can begin applying dockage when damage exceeds 2%. Grain quality disease will likely be something to consider while harvesting the 2026 crop.

Let any of the SFG Agronomy staff know if you have questions about grain quality or how to help maximize harvest.