1.

0 Green Beans
1.1 Background.
Beans are classified into two distinct groups, namely
Bush or dwarf beans and Runner or pole beans
1.2 Uses or importance of the crop.
Green beans are sources of rich vitamins:
o It is rich in vitamin K,
o Vitamins A and C are antioxidants, a role which is
important in the protection of the integrity of
DNA, thus reducing the incidences of mutations
which result in cancers.
o The vitamins are also functional in reduction of
blood cholesterol, a feature which is important in
the fight against heart diseases.
It also has significant quantities of manganese,
Provides very good quality dietary fibre, proteins and
carbohydrates.
They are legumes.
They can be utilised as green manure.
Beans can also be canned or pickled.
1.3 Soil requirements.
Best yields are obtained on sandy clay loams, deep well
drained soils with moderate water retention capacity.
Soils which tend to become waterlogged should be
avoided as water logging causes flower and pod drop.
Optimum soil pH is 5.0-5.5 (CaCl 2). Liming where soil pH
is below 5.0 is advisable.
Use fertile soils however do not use too much organic
matter as this normally produces luxuriant growth but
pod development and bean filling are compromised.
1.4 Climatic requirements.
A relative humidity of not less than 50 percent is
required for good setting, although dry, cool conditions
are required for harvesting.
The green bean is a frost sensitive crop little wonder
why it is not recommended as a winter crop except for
those areas that experience fair daily temperatures and
do not experience ground frost.
The optimum daily temperatures required for good
growth and productivity range between 16-21 0C, because
it promotes good seed germination. They will not
tolerate wind, heat with low humidity, or low
temperatures. The results are poor growth, blossom-
drop, and poor pod-set and hollow, short and deformed
pods.

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 Persistent low night temperatures can cause misshapen
pods or hollow pods, and temperatures slightly above
350C can result in poor yields after instigating flowers
and pods to drop. Hence whenever they are grown as a
summer crop average yield is compromised if the
daytime temperatures frequently go beyond 300C.
Beans suffer from waterlogging but need adequate
moisture throughout.
They need mild, moist weather or irrigation, especially at
flowering time.
Rain just after sowing can cause poor germination, and
prolonged rain after petal-fall is ideal for the
development of bacterial blights and Sclerotinia white
rot.
1.5 Land preparation.
Beans should be planted in a soil that has been ploughed
to a depth of 200-300 mm, and before seeding; the soil
should be brought to a reasonable tilth and irrigated.
1.6 Cultivars or varieties.
There are two main types of green beans of their
growing style is classified as “bush” or “pole.”
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Bush beans grow compactly (reaching about two-feet
tall) and do not require extra support from a structure
like a trellis. 
Pole beans grow as climbing vines that may reach 10 to
15 feet tall. Therefore, pole beans require a trellis or
staking.
There are upsides and downsides to both types,
of course:
 Bush beans generally require less maintenance
and are easier to grow, but pole beans typically
yield more beans and are mostly disease-resistant.
 Bush beans produce in about 50 to 55 days; pole
beans will take 55 to 65 days. 
 Bush beans often come in all at once, so stagger
your planting every two weeks. Pole beans need
their vines to grow and will produce for a month or
two if you keep harvesting.
 , pole beans produce over such a long period that
they will benefit from a feeding or a side dressing
of compost or composted manure about halfway
through their growing season.
1.7 Sowing or planting.
The recommended planting times are as shown below.
Altitude. Month.
<750mm March, April and May Fertiliser application should be moderate because they
750 – 1200mm early September to March are able to fix their own nitrogen by forming a symbiotic
relationship with Rhizobium. Therefore, excessive
>1200mm Mid/end September to early
November and end of February. nitrogen produces too many leaves which hamper and
delay harvesting
It is recommended that the actual requirements be
calculated using results from a soil testing or soil
1.7.1 Seed rate. analysis.

Seed should be sown at a rate of 80—100 kg/ha.

1.8.1 Basal dressing.
The general recommendations for fertiliser application
1.7.2 Seed treatment.
are a basal dressing of 600 kg/ha Compound D.
Seed should be treated with Thiram and Dieldrin to
protect against attack by soil-borne fungi and the stem
1.8.2 Top dressing.
maggot and spray also an insecticide.
Light top dressing if required of ammonium nitrate at
100 kg/ha.
1.7.3 Spacing.
The fertiliser must be banded at least 75 mm to the
Bush beans are planted in situ at a spacing of 50 mm x side and 75 mm below the seed rather than broadcasting
450 mm. Double rows 200 mm apart and 700-750 mm the fertiliser.
apart in the row is more convenient for mechanisation. Boronated fertilisers should be avoided as beans are
Runner beans are planted 100-150 mm apart, in rows
susceptible to high levels of boron.
900mm apart. Planting depth should not exceed 25
mm.
1.9 Irrigation.

1.8 Fertilizer requirements.

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 Irrigation should provide enough water at all times such
that the plants are never at any stage subjected to
moisture stress.
Deep watering is encouraged as opposed to light
sprinkling of water at the surface. The former has an
advantage of encouraging a deep root system. Moisture
stress should be avoided at all costs during flowering
and pod development as it can causes heavy losses.
Most of the roots of a bean plant are concentrated in
the top 200 mm of the soil, therefore light irrigations
are recommended, 35-40 mm (net) on fine textured or
clay soils and 25-30 mm on light sands or coarse
textured soils.
1.10 Harvesting.
The first harvest occurs about 14 days after flowering
and lasts from three to four weeks
The crop is harvested by hand when the pods are nearly
full size, straight and easily snapped, and the seeds
small with a jelly substance surrounding them.
Beans are ready for the first harvest about 50 days
after planting and this continues for 21 to 30 days.
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Beans must not be harvested during the hottest time of
the day, and after rain or irrigation, should be allowed to
dry before picking.
You must not delay harvesting, because beans can become
overgrown and tough almost overnight. Harvest by gently
pulling each bean from the vine or by snapping them off
at the vine end.
Green Beans usually give yields of 8-10 tonnes/ha.
1.11 Storage.
Store beans in a moisture-proof, airtight container in
the refrigerator. Beans will toughen over time even when
stored properly.
Beans can be kept fresh for about 4 days, or blanched
and frozen immediately after harvesting.
1.12 Marketing.
1.13 Record-keeping.
1.14 Crop protection,
1.14.1 Weed management.
Weed control should begin shortly after germination
of the seeds.
Cultivation must be shallow since most of the roots
are in the top 200 mm of the soil.
A number of herbicides are available for chemical
weed control, examples are listed below.
1. Linuron (Afalon), a pre-emergence herbicide applied at a
rate of 1.5-2.5kg/ha.
2. Metalochlor (Dual) is another pre-emergence herbicide
that is applied at a rate of 1.75– 2.0 litres for grass
control. In areas where nutgrass is a problem, the rate
is adjusted to 2.0-2.5 litres/ha
1.14.2 Pest management.
1.14.2.1 Aphids (Aphis fabae)
These are plant sap-sucking insects whose sizes vary
between 1.5 - 3mm.
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Aphids have high reproductive capabilities and can
infest the entire crop in a very short space of time if no
control measures are instituted.
A heavy infestation of aphids results in wrinkled leaves,
stunted growth and pod deformities.
Young plants wrinkle, wither and can ultimately die of an
aphid attack.
Flower and pod production and development can be
curtailed by a heavy attack of aphids and this could also
impact on seed viability.
Aphids are sap sucking insects that transmit viruses.
Control.
Use Dimethoate or Malathion 50% or Endosulfan 35%.
1.14.2.2 Bean stem maggot
 This is a small cream maggot that burrows through
the stem forming swellings.
 It causes yellowing of the foliage and plant wilt.
 It is controlled using Dieldrin.
1.14.2.3 Heliothus bollworm (Heliothus armigera)  The Red spider mite makes fine webbing on the under
surface of the leaf leading to the leaves turning to a
This is a caterpillar that is 3-4cm long which feeds on
silvery colour and mottling of the leaves.
leaves, pods and seed of the bean plant.
 It is controlled using Malathion 25%.
The presence of circular holes on bean pods is indicative
1.14.2.6 CMR Beetles
of the presence of bollworm as these are left as it
 These are large clumsy black beetles with yellow and
carves its way to forage on the developing seeds inside
red markings.
the pod.
 They are controlled using Malathion 50%.
Often the bollworm attacks the pods at their point of
contact with other pods, leaves of stems. 1.14.3 Disease management.

1.14.3.1 Rust
Control.
Spraying should be undertaken after scouting using
Endosulfan.

1.14.2.4 Loopers
 These are green caterpillars that eat the leaves and
the pods.
This is a fungal disease that spreads from one plant to
 They are controlled using Carbaryl 85WP%.
the next and from crop to crop by way of releasing
infective spores.
1.14.2.5 Red spider mite

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 This bean rust causing fungi proliferates well under
cloudy humid conditions and daytime temperatures
ranging from 15 -230C.
Characterised by brown pustules on lower leaves with
yellow halo of variable size.

This fungal infection results in considerable financial

losses to the farmer owing to its impact on production It is a fungal disease that affects all the parts of the
and quality. bean above the surface of the ground.
It however is very pronounced on the pods where it
Control. leaves characteristic dark, circular sunken brown pits
Effecting crop rotations. or cankers on the pods containing pink spores.
plant rust resistant varieties, It is transmitted from one crop cycle to the other via
Use registered fungicides to contain the spreading of affected seeds and tends to strike and spread well in
bean rust. weed infested fields.
Control.
1.14.3.2 Anthracnose Planting disease free seed.
Exercising 3 year crop rotations.
Judicious weeding of the fields should be undertaken
timeously,
After harvests, remove and destroy all remaining plant
material in order to break the disease cycle.

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 By using fungicides. material that the disease spreads from one crop to the
 Mancozeb 80% at 300g/100 litres of water, next.
 Maneb 80% at 200g/100 litres of water, It is characterised by small spots with yellow green
 Thiram 80% at 200g/100 litres of water halos on the foliage, pods and seeds.

 Zineb 80% at 200g/100 litres of water. Control.

2-3 year crop rotations with other crops.
1.14.3.3 Bacterial blight Using certified seed which is bacteria free.
Avoid working in the bean field when it is wet.
Spraying with a copper-based chemical, for example
Copper oxychloride at 400g/100 litres of water.

1.15 Assessments.
1.15.1 Multiple choice questions.
1.15.2 Structured questions.
1.15.3 Essay questions.

It is caused by one or more bacteria species. The

bacteria can amply spread across the field when
presented with favourable conditions causing foliar and
leaf damage.
The bacteria can survive on seed and remnants of plant
material from an affected crop and it is through those

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