Dear Sir
Straight combining is the most satisfactory and commonly used method of harvest. Swathing soybean can result in excessive field losses (up to 25%) due to shattering. Use of equipment like floating headers, pickup reels, Love bars and row crop headers are helpful in reducing harvest losses. Keep the combine in good repair. A cutterbar in poor condition will increase gathering losses. Be sure knife sections and ledger plates are sharp, and that wear plates, hold-down clips and guards are properly adjusted. Proper reel speed in relation to ground speed will reduce gathering losses. Use a reel speed about 25 percent faster than ground speed. Operate the cutterbar as close to the ground as possible at all times. Keep forward speeds at or below 3 miles per hour. Slow down if stubble is high and ragged, or if separating losses are high. Approximately four beans or one to two pods per square foot represent a yield loss of "one bushel" per acre.
Harvest soybean when the plants are mature and the beans have approximately 14 percent moisture. Harvest may be started at 17 to 18 percent moisture when air drying is available. Harvest as much of the crop as possible above 12 percent moisture to avoid cracking seed coats and "splits". When soybean seed is extremely dry, (8 to 10 percent moisture), harvesting will cause more shattering and seed injury. Under these conditions, combine during morning or evening hours when relative humidity is higher and adjust the combine accordingly.
Kirti
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