Soybean harvest is underway in some central areas of Manitoba, but most fields are still a week or two away.

With crops almost ready to come off the field, Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers production specialist, Kristin Podolsky, recommends producers make a late-season disease check.

"At this time of year, we're really focusing on the stem diseases that show up late-season, and kind of getting a feel for the number of plants that are affected," she says. "So taking a look out for things like white mould, and also some pod and stem blight. It's also a good time to look for root rot."

She says white mould levels have been lower than expected because of the hot weather this summer.

As soybean harvest approaches, Podolsky also recommends a plant population check, a yield estimate using their app, and a check of plant maturity. For producers who have begun harvest, she reminds them to be checking for harvest losses, as they tend to be higher than you think.