Frank J. Dainello,
Extension Horticulturist
Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M University
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VARIETIES
Green: Blue Lake 274, Strike, Benchmark, Landmark, Opas
Flatpod: Colgreen, Magnum, Roma II
SOIL PREFERENCE
Well-drained, silt loams with a pH 5.5-6.8. Avoid soils that crust badly and those with high salt content.
OPTIMUM GROWING CONDITIONS
Cool nights (55-60oF) and warm days (80-85oF). Temperatures >90oF will cause blossom drop.
ESTABLISHMENT
| Method= | Direct seeded |
| Optimum time= | |
| Spring- | soil seed zone temperature 60 - 65oF |
| Fall- | soil seed zone temperature below 85oF. |
| Seeding rate= | 70 - 80 lbs/A (6 - 10 seed/ft.) |
| Seed/oz= | 100 - 120 |
| Seeding depth= | 0.5-0.75". |
| Seedling spacing= | 2" in-row 1 plant row/38 - 40" wide raised bed. |
FERTILITY/FERTILIZATION
Rates presented as actual lbs/A N2, P2O5, and K20 (base actual application rates on soil test results).
| Generalized rate lbs/A= | 50 - 80 - 90. |
| N= | 50 - 80, broadcast incorporated or split banded(3 - 4" to site and below seed row). |
| P= | 50 - 100, banded 3 - 4" below seed. |
| K= | 60 - 80, normally needed only in East Texas. |
WATER/IRRIGATION
10 - 15"; critical growth stages for moisture are at bloom and pod set. Pre-plant irrigation suggested, irrigating up in cold, dry soils can reduce stand.
PEST MANAGEMENT
| Major Diseases | Control |
| Anthracnose | Long rotations (2 years) |
| Botrytis blight | Bravo, Endura (snap only), Rovral, Ronilan (snap only) |
| Downy mildew | Bravo, fixed copper |
| Halo blight (bacterial) | fixed copper |
| Powdery mildew | Bravo, Nova (snap only) |
| Pythium Root Rot | Ridomil Gold, Ridomil Gold NB |
| Rhizoctonia Root Rot | PCNB |
| Rust | Bravo, Nova (snap only) |
| White mold | Topsin M, Rovral, Ronilan(snap only) |
| Nematode | K-Pam, Mocap, Telone II |
| Major Insects | Control |
| Aphid | Admire, dimethoate, Provado |
| Thrip | acephate, Di-syston, Lannate, Thimet |
| Stinkbug | Capture, Fury/Mustang, Sevin |
| Cutworm | Asana, Lannate |
| Cabbage looper | Asana, B.t.'s, Lannate, Spintor |
| Corn earworm | Asana, Capture, Fury/Mustang |
| Cowpea curculio | Asana, Sevin |
| Leafhopper | acephate, diazinon (snap only), Provado, Sevin |
| Cucumber beetle | Asana, Fury/Mustang, Sevin |
| Mite | Capture, dimethoate, Kelthane |
| Weeds | Control |
| Preplant incorporated | Dual Magnum, Eptam, Pursuit, Treflan |
| Preemergence | Command, Dual Magnum, Dacthal, Sandea (snap only) |
| Postemergence | Assure II, Basagran, Poast, Pursuit (24c snap only) |
* NOTE--The above is a partial listing of controls intended as examples. Some labels may have been revoked since the publication of this guide. Refer to product labels for specifics and use accordingly. Failure to do so may result in crop injury, death and/or citation for law violation. Humans, animals and the environment may also be adversely affected by misuse.
HARVEST
| Days after planting= | 40-60 |
| Normal method= | Hand/machine |
| Containers= | bushel baskets, bulk bins (machine harvest) |
| Grades= | Fresh market-Fancy, No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 |
| Processing= | Based on sieve size (pod diameter) ranging from 1-6, 1=12/16 - 14/64" & 6=>27/64" |
| Packaging/handling= | Bu wire-bound crates, bu or hampers(26 - 31 lbs); ctns(25 - 30 lbs); semi-telescope ctns(20 - 22 lbs) |
| Anticipated yield/A= | Fresh market, 200 - 300 bu; processing; 3 - 6 tons |
TRANSIT CONDITIONS
40 - 45oF at 95% RH
COMMENTS / PRODUCTION KEYS
- Cold sensitive plant, experiences frost damage readily; also heat sensitive, temperatures >85oF induces bloom drop; therefore, has a narrow window of production in most areas of Texas.
- Stringiness can be induced in certain cultivars by excessive temperatures during pod development and maturity.
- Storage temperatures <38oF can cause pod pitting and/or russeting upon exposure to warm temperatures.
- Russeting can be aggravated by the presence of free moisture, especially a problem in centers of containers.
- Machine harvest should begin when 50% of pods are in the sieve size 4 category (21/64 - >24/64").
- Delayed harvest causes rapid loss of pod quality due to increasing fiber content and starchiness of seed.
- Sensitive to moisture stress, requires uniform moisture throughout growing season for maximum yield and quality.
- Early morning irrigation helps to alleviate stress caused by moisture fluctuations and helps reduce disease incidence.
Texas Cooperative Extension, Horticulture Crop Guides Series
Revised November, 2003
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/vegetable/cropguides/bean.html
Prepared for Web delivery by Brooke Bludau, Amanda Zan, and Dan Lineberger