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Cold snap triggers soybean quality concerns in Upper Midwest

A dramatic shift to cool, wet weather in the Upper Midwest has sparked quality concerns in soybeans.

University of Minnesota Extension crops educator Dave Nicolai tells Brownfield the region entered the Labor Day weekend with temperatures in the upper 80’s and exited in the 40’s.

“It’s going to certainly slow things down in terms of maturation, primarily in central and southern Minnesota. Now places farther north were subject to frost and freeze and that’s going to have an impact directly on taking out photosynthetic material.”

Parts of northwest Minnesota reported overnight temperatures that were below freezing Tuesday and Wednesday.

“And if it causes death of the plant you’ll end up with smaller beans, and that’s a quality factor certainly at harvest (with) green beans into a frost. But in terms of just cooler weather, that would be indicative of slower development.”

Nicolai says the expected return of warmer weather next week should help finish the soybean crop, but harvest has probably been pushed back several days due to the cold snap.

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