As dry beans start to dry down, farmers will need to start thinking about desiccation.

Cassandra Tkachuk, production specialist with Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers (MPSG), has some advice for producers.

"Desiccation is useful for late season weed control and improvement of crop uniformity, however the proper timing of desiccation is critical to prevent yield and quality loss and also to prevent accumulation of chemical residue in the seed," she explained. "The recommended timing of dry bean desiccation is when the plant is physiologically mature and when seed moisture is less than 30 per cent. This is when 80 per cent of the pods have changed colour and 80 - 90 per cent of leaves have dropped."

Tkachuk says the dry conditions this year have contributed to early maturation of crops.

She notes in Manitoba, dry beans are mainly at the R7 stage, where seeds in the oldest pods are fully developed.