Snap Bean Growers Must Return To The Basics
January 10, 2013 
Untimely weather in the Mid-Atlantic region was a big factor for snap bean producers early in 2012, but mild weather in the fall balanced out the season. Further north, growers in Minnesota experienced good weather in the spring, allowing them to plant early. According to the Oregon Agri-Facts fall report, nationally contracted production of snap beans is forecast at 672,370 tons, which is up slightly from 2011.
In the Mid-Atlantic region, though, drought conditions were a problem in late spring and early summer, but the lack of rain stopped being a problem by early July, when many Tennessee growers were hit with more than they could handle, explains Allen Straw, area specialist in horticulture with Virginia Cooperative Extension. “It caused some disease,” he laments. “Pod tip rot, specifically, as many of the pods were left resting on the wet ground.”
There was a light at the end of the tunnel, though, when a long and mild fall allowed for a more leisurely picking period, which evened out the variable weather to balance what turned out to be a solid season. “There’s no such thing as ‘normal’ anymore,” he adds.
Be Prepared
One thing growers can do, however, is increase preparedness year after year. To combat rain, Straw says growers should grow varieties with a more upright plant that don’t allow the pod to sit in the soil, which, in turn, can cause pod tip rot.
In addition to pod tip rot, Straw says many growers in the Northeast and Midwest are dealing with Phytophthora. In the past, Phytophthora didn’t really affect the snap bean plant. However, in the last couple of years growers have seen Phyophthora cause pod rot and root rot.
He adds that in the Southeast, Pythium cottony leak is an issue, and there are few labeled fungicides for this disease, making it difficult to control.
In the future, Straw says some small operations may increase their size to capitalize on the locally grown market. These growers are able to sell half-runner and pole beans for $35 to $60 per bushel compared to the $18 to $20 per bushel for traditional snap bean varieties. “Unfortunately you don’t see conventional beans skyrocketing unless there is a disaster and a shortage,” he adds.
For the coming season, Straw tells growers to get back to basics. “Pay attention to reality. Don’t get caught up in things that seem too good to be true. Pay attention to varieties and their timeslots in order to optimize production.
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