French Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.); Fabaceae
Bush type
Varieties – Anup, Malgudi, Belli, Chamadkar, NZ superking, Hero, Asha
Soil and Climate – Well drained loamy soils with pH range of 5.5-6.0 is required. The optimum temperature is 15-21°C.
Season – February – March and July – August.
Sowing
Treat the seeds with Trichoderma viride @ 4 g/kg of seed 24 hours before sowing to control fungal diseases. If the crop is raised for the first time, it should be treated with Rhizobium @ 4 packets /ha. In hills, sow the seeds in lines in beds.
Seed rate and Spacing – 80 kg/ha (2 seeds/hill) and 30 x 15 cm.
Preparation of Field – Dig the soil thoroughly and incorporate FYM. Form beds of convenient size.
Irrigation – Immediately after sowing, third day and thereafter once a week.
Application of Manures
Growing Lupin as green manure to get the biomass of 6-7 tonnes /ha and ploughing in situ on 45-50 DAS.
Basal application of 25 t of FYM and 2 kg each of Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria and top dressing of vermicompost @ 2 t/ha in 2 equal splits at 15 days interval (15 days after planting and 30 days after planting).
Foliar Nutrition
Spray 3% Panchagavya twice at 30 and 45 days after planting
After Cultivation
Weeding should be done on 20 – 25 days and 40 – 45 days after sowing. The crop should be earthed up after each weeding.
Pole type
Varieties – TKD 1, KKL 1, Ooty 1, Murungai beans.
Soil – Well drained loamy soils with pH range of 5.5-6.0 is required. The optimum temperature is 15-21°C
Season and Sowing – February – March and July – August.
Preparation of Field – Prepare the land to fine tilth. Sow the seeds at a spacing of 20 cm between plants in double rows of 30 cm apart with a distance of 1.5 metre between each pair of rows.
Seed rate – 50 – 55 kg/ha. Treat the seeds with Rhizobium @ 4 packets/ha.
Irrigation – Immediately after sowing, on 3rd day and thereafter, once in a week.
Application of Manures
Growing Lupin as green manure to get the biomass of 6-7 tonnes /ha and ploughing in situ on 45-50 DAS.
Basal application of 25 t of FYM and 2 kg each of Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria and top dressing of vermicompost @ 2 t/ha in 2 equal splits at 15 days interval (15 days after planting and 30 days after planting).
Foliar Nutrition – Spray 3% Panchagavya twice at 30 and 45 days after planting
After Cultivation – First weeding and staking 20 days after sowing.
Plant protection for bush and pole type beans
- Whitefly: Place 20 yellow sticky traps coated with castor oil in polythene sheet to attract the whiteflies.
- Leaf hoppers, aphids, and glasshouse whitefly: : Spray Azadirachtin 0.03% (300ppm) @ 2.5 ml/lit
- Ash weevils: Spray Azadirachtin 0.03% (300ppm) @ 2.5 ml/lit.
- Pod borer: Spray Azadirachtin 0.03% (300ppm) @ 2.5 ml/lit thrice at fortnightly intervals
Diseases
Powdery mildew
Spray Pseudomonas fluorescens@ 0.5% three times at 15 days interval
Leaf spot
- Spray Pseudomonas fluorescens@ 0.5% three times at 15 days interval
Harvest and Yield
It is ready for harvest in 50 days after sowing.
9 – 10 t/ha of green pods in 90 – 100 days.