This article was written by UMN Extension educators Angie Peltier and Anthony Hanson. Soybean growth & development Between August 8 and 19, soybean growth stages from Wilkin County, Minnesota and north were either beginning seed (R5) or full seed (R6; Figure 1 ). Just last week during the August 10 Strategic Farming: Field Notes program , Extension soybean agronomist Dr. Seth Naeve explained that these are very different stages of soybean growth and development across the state. Soybeans at the R5 growth stage are still growing vegetatively while completing reproductive milestones, while soybeans at the R5.5 growth stage are no longer growing vegetatively and are thereafter devoted only to reproduction. It is recommended that soybeans continue to be scouted for soybean aphids through the beginning seed growth stage (R5) and until the pod cavities are filled with seeds (early R6). Soybean aphid’s ability to affect yield also decreases significantly at R6 to 6.5 as yield is already
