Soybeans are advancing well in Manitoba, with recent heat taking the crop into early seed in some fields. Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers production specialist Kristen Podolsky says across the province, soybeans are anywhere from R4 to R5.

"We're seeing full pods, right to the top of the canopy, and on some of the earliest fields we're starting to see small seeds develop," she says, "so this is really a time of rapid nutrient and water uptake."

Going forward, Podolsky says growers need to be keeping an eye on some insect and disease issues in soybeans over the next few weeks.

"I would say we should still be monitoring for soybean aphids, which have shown up in parts of eastern Manitoba, none at threshold levels, but we do need to keep an eye on that for the next week or two, as well as phytophthora root rot, which is still showing up," she says.

Field peas are also advancing quickly, according to Podolsky, with reports that desiccation and swathing timing has already started in some areas.

"Field peas have finished flowering for the most part, and pod fill is near the top of the canopy," says Podolsky.

She reminds growers that field pea desiccation or swathing timing can take place at 30 per cent seed moisture or physiological maturity.

"The rule we like to use is sort of a 30/40/30 rule," she says, "so when you're assessing maturity in field peas, 30 per cent of the bottom pods are tan brown, 40 per cent will be yellow, and the top 30 per cent will be greenish-yellow, and that's a good way to tell the crop is a physiological maturity."

Podolsky notes field peas crops in some areas have received faced hail damage recently, so she says grading factors and quality will be important when timing harvest operations.