Pulse and soybean crops in Manitoba are pre-maturely ripening thanks to the hot, dry conditions.    

Soybeans are between the R6 and R7 stage and are starting to dry down. Pea harvest is well underway and will wrap up by the end of the week. Dry beans are shutting down early.Moisture stress is also becoming evident in areas throughout the province.     

Laryssa Stevenson, production specialist with Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers, explained most parts of Manitoba only received 65 to 95 per cent of precipitation over the growing season.

"Most regions in Manitoba had less than two-hundred millimetres of rainfall since May 1st, which falls short of the adequate water use requirements of pulses and soybeans," she said.

According to Stevenson, normal growing season precipitation in Manitoba is between 300 and 350 millimetres which she said is adequate for crops like peas and dry beans. However, she added soybeans will use anywhere between 400 and 500 millimetres of water due to their longer growing season.

Stevenson believes the drought conditions seen in the early vegetative stages will have had limited impact on yields compared to the conditions where seeing now during the reproductive stages. She added however, limitations during pod initiation and pod filling are more critical to yield loss.  

If you suspect drought-stress in your crop, Stevenson said there are few ways to detect it.

The first is to check the lower canopy for earlier-than-normal leaf drop.

She added you'll also notice that the leaves on the top of the canopy are flipping upside-down.

"During hot weather the silver underside of that leaf will reflect more sunlight which reduces photosynthesis and the need for transpiration, and just helps to cool the plant as whole."