![Soybean producers are gearing up for harvest. Photo supplied. Soybean producers are gearing up for harvest. Photo supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/5Q2j7ezUfQBfUJsaqK3gfB/9d79fc89-33db-4b82-b957-8b71942dfab6.jpg/r0_60_640_420_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Australian soybean producers are being faced with a tricky harvest period after a wet season caused agronomic issues.
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While Soy Australia is reporting good yield potential on the back of strong growing season rainfall there are also a range of challenges leading into harvest, with a potential shortage of desiccant products a potential hurdle for growers.
Desiccation is being recommended to growers as a means of ensuring even maturity at harvest, but experts also caution that growers need to know whether their chosen product meets regulations for markets such as the seed crop sector.
Soy Australia industry development officer Judy Plath said in many soybean regions growers have struggled to conduct insect and weed control operations at the right time.
Mrs Plath said decisions regarding desiccation and harvest management over coming weeks would affect how successful the harvest is.
"Ideally soybean growers want to manage their harvest to achieve the highest possible sample quality with the lowest possible losses," she said.
Desiccation is one tool that can be used to help minimise quality issues.
"In a tricky season like this one, desiccation can be a vital tool for improving harvest outcomes."
"However, there has been reports of shortages of some desiccation products so Soy Australia is urging growers to contact their reseller immediately to try and source products before they need to
spray," said Mrs Plath.
According to experienced pulse industry agronomist, Paul McIntosh, said desiccation was a useful tool in wet seasons such as this one to allow an evenly mature crop at harvest and to minimise losses and staining during harvesting.
"The wet weather experienced in many regions has made it very difficult to undertake insect or weed control at the right time leaving some crops with considerable insect damage and extra weed
pressure which can make harvesting more difficult," said Mr McIntosh.
"Spraying out with diquat or glyphosate is a good idea after a difficult season like this and helps growers to manage green weeds, improve crop dry down and facilitate more uniform harvest conditions in crops which have suffered during the season," he said.
He urged growers to do their research on what could and could not be done.
"It's really important soybean growers do their homework and check details like whether the registered desiccant herbicide can be used on seed crops and what wetter or oil is recommended".
"Diquat products like (diquat-based) Reglone are a handy option when the grower needs to dry the crop out quickly, or get on top of broadleaf weeds that may affect harvesting," said Mr McIntosh.
"Reglone has seen a price drop this year, making it more affordable for soybean growers, however it's important to order product immediately because its availability has been limited this season."
"Roundup Ultra Max, or other high load glyphosates, has traditionally been popular due to cost but can be slower in getting results."
He urged caution regarding potential tank mixes.
"Some growers this year have been adding a Group 14 (formerly Group G) registered herbicide named Sharpen, to either a Ultra Max or a Diquat formulation as a tank mix , in order to get better drying down of broadleaf weeds, however I urge growers to seek good advice before using any of these tank mixes or double knock scenarios, as it needs to be correctly assessed and timed for best results."
"Also, it's very important to observe the withholding period of any chemical used and remember that a desiccant will only dry out the crop, it will not advance the maturity of the crop."
"Desiccating a soybean crop before it is physiologically mature will likely result in green seeds in the sample which can really affect the quality grading and price by the marketer to the grower."
The soybean industry is relatively small in Australia with harvests generally between 50,000 and 100,000 tonnes annually.
Production is scattered across regions as diverse as the Atherton Tableland in Far North Queensland through to irrigated regions in southern NSW.