 |
ProCrop |
Swathing of Mustard
Brown and oriental mustard varieties are generally more susceptible to shattering than the yellow types and should be swathed. Yellow mustard should be swathed if the crop is weedy or uneven in maturity. Mustard should be swathed following general leaf drop when overall field color changes from green to yellow/brown and early enough to avoid shattering.
Pods selected from the middle of the racemes of several plants in areas representing the average maturity of the seeds. Most varieties are at the optimum maturity for swathing when upper pods have turned and seeds are brown or yellow. The remaining 25 percent green seeds will mature in the swath prior to harvest.
Swathing in early morning hours will aid in reducing shattering losses from ripe pods. The windrow is inclined to be bulky and easily scattered by the wind. To help prevent this, many growers pull steel drums over the top of the windrow to help push it into the stubble. Swathing at a high stubble level will reduce the size of the windrow and will provide stubble in which it can lie.
Back to Harvest - Mustard
Menu
Back to Mustard Menu
Back to Main ProCrop Index
