Kernels first demonstrate yellow color. Milky kernel content. Silks first dark red. Dents visible at the middle of the ear. No free moisture may be expressed from the kernels.
Soybeans are the more drought tolerant crop.
Soybeans are therefore able to compensate for stress during one part of flowering by retaining a higher percentage of flowers, pods, and seeds at times of lower stress. Excessive rainfall in the springtime often restricts planting at a critical time. However, this Spring maximum provides a useful recharge of the soil's water holding capacity. Fall precipitation may delay harvest. Mid-season clear skies may result in stress during pollination but they also contribute the abundant, uninterrupted solar radiation necessary to produce the high corn yields typical of the U.S. Midwest.