Dry edible bean crops in Manitoba are advancing quickly, with a majority of crops starting to yellowing-over, and a few fields even reaching maturity.

Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers production specialist Kristen Podolsky says it's a good time to start thinking about desiccation for dry bean crops.

"We want to make sure we're not desiccating too early," Podolsky says. "That can have an impact on yield and quality, but as well as residue levels in the seed, which is very important for our export markets. So, in deciding what product to use, growers should talk to their buyers ahead of time to make sure there are no restrictions."

When assessing for desiccation timing, Podolsky says the crop needs to be mature and at less than 30 per cent seed moisture.

"So what that looks like is -- 80 per cent is the magic number -- 80 per cent pod colour change, 80 per cent leaf drop," she says. "I encourage growers to be out there every few days because you can go from 60 per cent pod colour change to 80 per cent in a matter of a few days."

Growers also need to decide if they're targeting dry down or weed control, and Podolsky says it's important to remember desiccation isn't going to make maturity happen faster.