Edamame is a food-grade soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] that is harvested immature between the R6 and R7 reproductive stages. To be labeled as a premium product, the edamame market demands large pod size and intense green color. A staggered harvest season is critical for the commercial industry to post-harvest process the crop in a timely manner. Currently, there is little information to assist in predicting the optimum time to harvest edamame when the pods are at their collective largest size and greenest color. The objectives of this study were to assess the impact of cultivar, planting date, and harvest date on edamame color, pod weight, and a newly minted Edamame Harvest Quality Index combining both aforementioned factors. And to predict edamame harvest quality based on phenological stages, thermal units, and planting dates. We observed that pod color and weight depended on the cultivar, planting date, and harvest date combination. Our results also indicated that edamame quality is increased with delayed planting dates and that quality was dependent on harvest date with a quadratic negative response to delaying harvest. Maximum quality depended on cultivar and planting and harvest dates, but it remained stable for an interval of 18–27 days around the peak. Finally, we observed that the number of days between R1 and harvest was consistently identified as a key factor driving edamame quality by both stepwise regression and neural network analysis. These research results will help define a planting and harvest strategy for edamame production in Arkansas and the United States Mid-South.

毛豆是食品级大豆[最大甘氨酸[L.）Merr。]，在R6和R7生殖阶段之间未成熟。毛豆市场要被标记为优质产品，就需要大豆荚尺寸和强烈的绿色。交错的收获季节对于商业行业及时进行收获后的加工至关重要。当前，当豆荚处于其集体最大尺寸和最绿色时，几乎没有信息可以帮助预测收获毛豆的最佳时间。这项研究的目的是评估品种，播种日期和收获日期对毛豆颜色，荚果重量以及结合上述两个因素的新造的毛豆收获质量指数的影响。并根据物候阶段，热量单位和播种日期来预测毛豆收获质量。我们观察到豆荚的颜色和重量取决于品种，播种日期和收获日期的组合。我们的结果还表明，毛豆品质随着播种日期的延长而增加，并且质量取决于收获日期，对延迟收获有二次负面反应。最高品质取决于品种，播种和收获日期，但在高峰期间隔18-27天保持稳定。最后，我们观察到，通过逐步回归和神经网络分析，R1和收获之间的天数始终被确定为驱动毛豆品质的关键因素。这些研究结果将有助于确定阿肯色州和美国中南部的毛豆生产的种植和收获策略。我们的结果还表明，毛豆品质随着播种日期的延长而增加，并且质量取决于收获日期，对延迟收获有二次负面反应。最高品质取决于品种，播种和收获日期，但在高峰期间隔18-27天保持稳定。最后，我们观察到，通过逐步回归和神经网络分析，R1和收获之间的天数始终被确定为驱动毛豆品质的关键因素。这些研究结果将有助于确定阿肯色州和美国中南部的毛豆生产的种植和收获策略。我们的结果还表明，毛豆品质随着播种日期的延长而增加，并且质量取决于收获日期，对延迟收获有二次负面反应。最高品质取决于品种，播种和收获日期，但在高峰期间隔18-27天保持稳定。最后，我们观察到，通过逐步回归和神经网络分析，R1和收获之间的天数始终被确定为驱动毛豆品质的关键因素。这些研究结果将有助于确定阿肯色州和美国中南部的毛豆生产的种植和收获策略。最高品质取决于品种，播种和收获日期，但在高峰期间隔18-27天保持稳定。最后，我们观察到，通过逐步回归和神经网络分析，R1和收获之间的天数始终被确定为驱动毛豆品质的关键因素。这些研究结果将有助于确定阿肯色州和美国中南部的毛豆生产的种植和收获策略。最高品质取决于品种，播种和收获日期，但在高峰期间隔18-27天保持稳定。最后，我们观察到，通过逐步回归和神经网络分析，R1和收获之间的天数始终被确定为驱动毛豆品质的关键因素。这些研究结果将有助于确定阿肯色州和美国中南部的毛豆生产的种植和收获策略。