Per Cent U.S. Production: 1.5%
Acres Planted: 12500 A
Acres Harvested: 12000 A
Yield 4500 lbs/A
Cash Value: $135/Ton
Yearly Production Costs:
Production Regions:
Green Beans, Phaseolus vulgaris, are grown in Texas for fresh market and processing . Most of this acreage is commercial/processing, grown in the Texas Winter Garden(60%) and High Plains. Another dimension of the fresh market green bean industry is the small operations that sell at farmers markets during season. Many Texas home gardeners plant green beans for canning and home grown meals.
Cultural Practices:
Green beans grow well in well-drained silt loam soils at a pH of 5.5-6.8. The critical time for moisture is during pod set and practically all of the Texas commercial acreage is irrigated. Planted at a depth of 0.5-.75", on a 2" spacing, often on 38-40" rows. Green beans are temperature sensative doing best below 85 degrees and the optimum is 60-65 degrees. A general fertilizer rate is 50-80-90 per acre with potassium normally needed in eastern parts of the state. Common cultivars are Contender, Harvester, Roman, and Tendercrop but many varieties are available. The commercial production is machine harvested round bush type beans and pole beans types are preferred for hand harvest.
Commodity Destination(s):
Worker Activities:
Since most of the green beans in Texas are mechanically seeded worker requirements will be limited to some hand hoeing and hand reseeding. Irrigation is either center pivot or gated pipe with most using the circle systems. Workers help keep center pivot equipment operating, usually on an as needed basis. Furrow irrigation would be more labor intensive since pipe is generally moved by hand. Chemical applications can be timed to avoid workers tending irrigation systems and other field duties.
Machine harvested green beans are generally picked only one time. After harvest the crop is moved to packing sheds where the beans are processed. Workers will come in direct contact with the beans during grading but wear gloves. On a limited scale some beans will be hand harvested, graded and packed in crates. Final packaging will depend on market destination. Bulk processed beans will be shipped by truck, usually to a canning facility.
Home grown green beans are labor intensive. Harvesting and processing is by hand, however garden green beans are rarely treated for pest. Commercial fresh market green beans will be machine harvested. Handling of machine harvested beans after picking is automated with workers overseeing grading and processing.
Insects: beet armyworm, corn earworm, European corn borer, grasshoppers, stink bugs, thrips, white flies and fire ants. Diseases: bacterial blights, anthracnose, cercospora leaf spot, root rot, fusarium root rot, rust, powdery mildew, watery soft rot and stem blight. Weeds: nightshades, pigweed, yellow crown beard, morning glory, cocklebur, puncture vine and spurred anoda.
The beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua Hubner) is an occasional pest of green beans in Texas but can occur in large numbers during an outbreak. Damage is characterized by skeletonizing leaves and holes in the pods. It is important to detect pest early to avoid extensive damage and commodity contamination. About 50% of Texas green bean acreage will be affected by this insect.
The beet armyworm life stages are egg, pupa, larva and adult. The light-green to black larvae have a black head, four pairs of abdominal prolegs and a distinctive dark spot just above the second pair of true legs. The adult is a small moth with mottled gray or brown forewings that are marked with a pale spot near the center of each wing. It's hind wings have dark veins on a white surface and are bordered with fringe like hairs. Females lay eggs in groups which are covered with hairs and scales from the parent, followed by hatch in 2 to 3 days. Young larvae feed close together in a group near the egg cluster and as they grow, gradually move away from the initial oviposition site. After the feeding period larvae pupate in the soil in a cocoon covered with adhering soil particles. The beet armyworm can complete its life cycle in about a month during warm weather. Overwintering is in the deep south but in areas above Tennessee or Kentucky, populations are believed to come from migrating adults.
Crop monitoring and sampling are very important in detecting beet armyworm larvae. Finding an infestation when these insects are small, enhances the efficacy of control options since larger larvae are more difficult to kill with conventional insecticides. Yield losses are generally small, however if an infestation goes undetected crop damage can be significant. Beet Armyworm infestations tend to be worse in South Texas. There are no current cultural control practices for this pest.
Numerous parasites and predators are known to prey on the beet armyworm. Pupae are attacked by the red imported fire ant, however viruses are considered to be a more important beet army worm natural enemies. This insect has been studied much more extensively in other crops and a respectable amount of information on biological control is available. There are no current cultural control practices for beet armyworms in green bean. Much work has been done in other crops which could probably could be adapted to green beans.
The corn earworm (Heliothis zea Boddie) is a major pest of Texas green beans. These worms cause damage by feeding on leaves, buds, flowers, pod coverings and developing seed. Insect parts contaminate processed beans and larval feeding provides invasion routes for plant diseases like pod rot. Corn earworms are best controlled when the larvae are small. Some work has been done on killing the adult but primarily because its mobility this method of control is generally difficult. All of Texas green bean acreage is susceptible to corn ear worm damage.
The corn earworm adult is a small moth that is characterized by light grayish-brown front wings marked with dark-gray to olive-green irregular lines along with dark areas near the tips and a dark spot usually near the wings center. Hind wings are a lighter tan with bands near the edges and fully extended the wings (front over back) will span ½ inch. As an immature, the worm varies from light green or pink to brown or nearly black. In warm weather this insect can complete its life cycle in about four weeks.
Earworm life stages are egg, larvae, pupa and adult. Winter is spent as pupae buried 2 to 6 inches below the soil, then adults emerge in the spring in response to longer day lengths and warmer weather. Following emergence, males and females mate and egg laying begins. Females will deposit eggs on preferred host and after hatch, larvae feed and subsequently pupate. The egg period is 2-4 days, larval 2- 3 weeks and the pupal period is 10-25 days; depending on temperature. Adults may live several months depending on weather and time of the year. Larval feeding is the damaging stage of the corn earworm and one female is capable of 500-3000 off-spring.
Green bean yield losses from corn earworm damage can be in the range of 10-20% if populations of this pest are not controlled. The corn earworm is a pest through-out Texas but is more of a problem in the Winter Garden Area. Neither crop rotation nor tillage significantly influences corn earworm survival. However, planting early season can help avoid peak boll worm egg laying.
A number of parasites and predators attack the corn earworm. This includes the big-eyed bug (Geocoris spp.), the minute pirate bug (Onus spp.), and the spotted lady beetle (Coleornegilla maculata) which feed on corn earworm eggs and young larvae. Other biological control agents such as spiders and a tiny wasp called Trichogramma contribute to earworm management. One major problem with natural control agents is that these naturally occurring controls are not well defined, and they cannot be predicted from year to year.
The European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilialis Hubner) is an occasional pest of green beans in Texas. Infestations that do occur are generally in the Western parts of the State. Larvae may attack the stalk or bore into the pod and feed on the bean. Damage can also cause contamination in processed beans. About 10% of the Texas acreage will be affected on a year to year basis.
The European corn borer overwinters as larvae primarily in field corn crop residue. After adults emerge in the spring mating occurs often around grassy and weedy areas and the females move into snap beans, corn and other crops to lay their eggs in 'fish scale' looking clusters of 5-10 eggs, often on the underside of leaves. Hatch is in 4-5 days and the 1st instar larvae feed on flowers, leaves and buds for approximately 48 hours before boring into the bean stems and pods. There are 4-5 generations per year but not all of these will be in the same crop. Control the European corn borer in green beans when the larvae are small. Scouting is important for early borer detection.
Keeping corn and green bean production apart can reduce the incidence of corn borers in the beans. Stalk destruction and turning under of stubble are common corn borer cultural control. Area wide corn stubble management is a very important European corn borer management strategy.
There are naturally occurring parasites and predators of the European corn borer. Known parasites include a braconid wasp, Macrocentrus grandi , and a tachinid fly, Lydella stabulans grisecens. In the major corn growing areas parasites from Europe have been released for borer control and this may be of some help in the management of borers in green beans. Ladybird beetles, predaceous mites, and some birds can contribute to borer reduction. The commercially available bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, is a good borer control agent.
Grass hoppers are an occasional pest of green beans in Texas where the most significant problems occur in dryer years. These insects will feed on green bean foliage, on pods and developing seed inside the pod. Damage can be extensive depending on the size and number of grass hoppers present. In addition to yield losses there can be quality loss from bean's injury making them unsuitable for canning. In some instances grasshoppers can destroy an entire bean crop particularly the smaller acreage. About 10% of Texas green bean acreage will be affected by grasshoppers year after year.
Economically important grasshoppers include the redlegged, migratory, Packard, differential and two-striped. Each has some unique aspect to it's life cycle, however, all grasshoppers have three life stages: egg, nymph and adult and overwinter as an egg below the soil. Because grasshoppers have an incomplete metamorphosis where the young resemble the adults, and the adults and nymphs both feed, damage can occur from these two life stages. Nymphs complete 5-6 growth stages in approximately 35 to 55 days prior to becoming a winged adult. Adult females are usually slightly larger than the males. The migratory grasshopper has two generations per year and the others mentioned here have one.
It is easier to control grasshoppers when they are small. It is also particularly important to control grasshoppers when they are small because these are not capable of eating as much as larger individuals.
When detected early enough grasshopper infestations can be managed, however if allowed to go uncontrolled significant losses can occur. It is often difficult if not impossible for a small acreage grower to control hoppers because of their highly mobile nature. Grasshoppers are generally more of a problem in the more arid parts of the state, however over the past 4-5 years there has been significantly less amount of rain in Texas and these pest have become more of a statewide dilemma. Providing trap crops can provide some margin of protection from a grasshopper invasion.
Grasshoppers have a number of natural enemies. This includes a fungi, Entomophthora grylli which may be the most important grass hopper limiting factor. Favored by warm wet conditions E. grylli spores develop in and on the body of the infected grasshopper and can destroy practically all of a local population. There is a protozoan, Nosema locustae, that is often present in grasshopper populations, but it generally does not cause a lot of mortality. Other grasshopper natural enemies include a nematode, larvae of blister beetles, bee flies, robber flies, ground beetles, flesh flies and tangle-veined flies. Birds and mammals eat grasshoppers, but are not present in numbers high enough to be of significance.
Stink bugs are a minor pest of green beans in most parts of the State. Adults and nymphs suck plant juices, weakening the plants and often causing malformed fruit. There are several different stink bugs capable of damaging green beans including the green stinkbug (Acrosternum hilare Say), brown stink bug (Euschistus servus Say)and Harlequin bug (Murgantia histrionica Hahn). All are shield shaped odorous insects, ½ inch long and 1/3 inch wide with overlapping wings as adults.
Stink bugs overwinter as adults under leaf litter or practically any where shelter can be found. After emerging in the spring adults began feeding on plants and the females lay clusters of eggs. These are barrel-shaped, greenish yellow structures that turn pink to gray just prior to hatch. During the five adult resembling nymphal life stages that follow hatch, some feeding damage can occur. A life cycle is completed in about 40 days and adults will live from 30-60 days. Alternative crops if present and abundant can provide sufficient habitat for stink bugs prior to moving into green beans.
A common sampling method for stink bugs is to use a sweep net over and just touching green bean canopy. By sampling different areas of a field, particularly during the formation of pods, and averaging the catches a population density estimate can be made. While sampling it is important to look for evidence of biological control. By looking for parasitized eggs along with the presence of predacious insects, inferences can be drawn about expected crop damage from existing and emerging populations of stinkbugs as these are impacted by numerous factors A common stink bug parasite is the egg parasitoid, Telenomus podisi.
Thrip damage is common in most green bean fields but is more often found in South Texas. Damage is by feeding on the plants' growing points which leads to retarded growth. Seedling damage causes stunting, leaf curl, delayed growth and lost pods due to flower damage. Commonly found thrips are the Western Flower (Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande), Onion (Thrips tabaci Lindeman) and Tobacco (Frankliniella fusca Hinds). All of Texas' green bean acreage is susceptible to injury by these pest.
In warm weather thrips can complete a life cycle in 5 days. The cycle stages are egg, larva, pre-pupa, pupa and adult. Females oviposit by inserting their eggs into plant leaves and may lay up to 300 eggs in a life time. After hatch, larvae feed on available plant material and the subsequent adults suck plant juices and look for pollen. The critical time for controlling thrips is when the crop is just coming up through the 2-3 leaf stage. Light infestations of thrips may cause some plant damage but since this occurs early in the season the crop will recover. Infestations that are heavy enough to completely kill plants will result in a stand reduction and subsequent economic loss.
White flies can cause serious problems in green beans particularly in fall crops. Generally considered a South Texas problem, large numbers of feeding white flies stunt or kill plants by sucking plant juices. Honey dew secreted by adults provides a medium for the growth of a dark mold which will eventually shroud infested foliage. This opaque covering will interfere with the host plants' photosynthesis . About 50% of Texas green bean acreage will have some white fly problems each year. White flies are the limiting factor for fall green beans in the Texas Winter Garden.
White flies are vary small insects, about 1/25" long, that appear white because of a light colored wax-like substance that surrounds their bodies. The typical growth stages are egg, nymphs or crawlers, and adult. Eggs are deposited on the underside of leaves and following hatch the immatures feed on plant juices. A life cycle can be completed in as little as two weeks under favorable weather conditions. Because of their high reproductive rate a few white flies can lead to large numbers if proper controls are not initiated. A complete crop loss because of white flies is possible.
Keeping areas surrounding bean fields free of weeds can help prevent a white fly population build-up in green beans. Early warning of a possible white fly problem could be populations in neighboring crops. Rank crop growth caused by excessive irrigation and fertilization can make plants more susceptible to white fly damage
White flies have a number of natural or biological enemies. Predators include lady beetles, green lacewings, minute pirate bugs, big eyed bugs and damsel bugs. Parasites know to prey on the white fly include a number of very small wasp which generally attack the nymphal stage.
Generally only a problem in South Texas green beans, fire ants eat planted seeds and emerging seedlings causing reducing stands. They also will tend aphids and whiteflies, allowing these pests' numbers to increase at a greater rate than would occur otherwise.
Fire ants are social insects. Colonies will have single and multiple queens whose sole duty is to lay eggs. All of the colonies' labor is done by the workers which are wingless, sterile females of varying sizes. After mating a fire ant queen will lay about 10 eggs. Larvae hatch in 7 to 10 days and in early colony development are fed by the queen. From egg to adult can take as little as 10 days and queens will lay up to 200 eggs per day for as long as 5 years As a colony grows the immatures receive food gathered by workers which have assumed most of the household chores. An average fire ant colony contains 100,000 to 500,000 workers and more than a hundred winged forms and queens.
Green bean fire ant management is an important early season activity. Treatments made at planting will control ants when they are the most troublesome- during stand establishment. Yield losses can be significant because of early plant stand destruction.
Texas Green Bean Insect Control
| Chemical | Pest | % Acres Treated | Rate Per Acre | Preharvest Interval |
| esfenvalerate (Asana® XL) | corn earworm | 100 | 2.9-5.8 oz | 3 days |
| methomyl (Lannate®) | corn earworm | 75-100 | 1.5 pt. | 7 days |
| zeta-cypermethrin (Mustang®) | corn earworm European corn borer |
75-100 | 1.4 - 4.3 oz | 1 |
| bifenthrin (Capture® 2E) | corn earworm European corn borer |
5 | 3.1-6.4 oz | 3days |
| dimethoate (Cygon, Dimethoate) | Thrips | 25-50 | 3/4-1.5 pts | 0 days |
| imidacloprid Provado® | Whiteflies | 30 % spring 100% fall |
3.5 oz | 7 |
Halo Blight (Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola); Common Blight (bacterium - Xanthomonas campestris pv. phaseoli): Plants infected with the halo blight bacterium display greenish-yellow circles around the symptomatic lesions. Interior of the lesion turns brown and with age, enlarge and coalesce. Ultimately the entire leaf will drop. Stems can have long, reddish lesions. When a plant begins to set fruit, lesions are formed at the nodes which girdle the stem, reducing fruit development. Common blight-infected pods do not exhibit the greenish-yellow halo around the lesion like halo blight lesions. Infected leaves with halo blight turn yellow and slowly die while those with common blight turn brown and drop quickly. Both organisms are seed-borne and entry into the plant is through the leaf stomata. Rain and damp weather encourage development of these diseases. Common blight is more of a problem in warm weather while halo blight is favored by cool temperatures. Both bacteria can live in the soil for two years on plant residue. To control bacterial blight of beans, seed grown in the western United States should be planted. Avoid spreading the disease by not entering the field when the foliage is wet. A three year rotation is suggested.
Bacterial blights are more of a problem in West Texas during rainy periods.
Anthracnose (fungus - Colletotrichum lindemuthianum): This is a seed-borne fungus which attacks all above ground portions of plants. Infected seed are marked by dark, sunken lesions that extend through the seed coat. Stem lesions are oval and sunken. The center of the lesion is dark brown with purplish to red borders. In early stages, the fungus develops along the veins and becomes purplish to red in color. In advanced stages, leaves become ragged. Infection of the pods results in small, reddish, elongated spots. Older spots are sunken and have brown to reddish-brown borders. The disease is favored by cool, wet springs and falls. It disappears during hot, dry summers and can survive on organic matter in the soil for two years. Control is managed by : (1) disease-free seed, (2) crop rotation, (3) staying out of fields when plants are wet, and (4) fungicides.
Cercospora Leaf spot, Cercospora spp., on green beans becomes evident as the lower foliage becomes marked by irregular tan spots 1/8 to 1/4 inch in diameter. Heavy infections will cause defoliation and plant stunting. It is reported to attack the pod but has only been observed on foliage in Texas. Infection is most severe during periods of extended rainfall, high humidity and temperatures between 75 to 85 degrees F. There apparently are no commercial varieties that are leaf spot resistant. Fungicide sprays should begin at first sign of disease and continue if weather conditions favor disease development.
The fungi Rhizoctonia solani causes root rot in beans. Once infected seed will often rot in soil or the young seedlings may become stunted. Infected plants will have a reddish-brown canker on the stems which may completely girdle the stem, causing severe stunting. Beans should be planted after the soil has warmed to above 69 degrees F. A good rotation is beans after a grass type crop.
Fusarium, Fusarium spp. is a soil inhabiting disease that enters plants through the roots. Diseased plants are characterized by a reddish discoloration of the tap root and as infection advances there will be stunting, a yellowing of leaves and rootlets formed near a lesion are killed. If weather conditions are favorable, a normal crop may be produced. Transmission is via wind, rain, farm equipment, and decaying plant tissue. It is best to avoid soils where Fusarium has been a problem because the fungus can grow on decaying plant material. Long rotations (four to five years) will help reduce losses.
Rust fungi, Uromyces phaseoli) causes small reddish-brown pustules to form on the lower side of leaves. Often described as having a complex life cycle because of thee or four distinctly different growth stages, mating characteristics and post mating growth stages, this fungus does best during cooler months. Field identification is often difficult because of the many races of the disease but a recognition of disease symptoms often suffices for treatment decisions. The fungus overwinters as spores in crop residue and in fields where the disease has been severe. A life cycle can be completed in 7-10 days and no alternate host is needed. To help avoid rust problems it is import to destroy crop residue soon after harvest. Apply approved fungicides at first sign of infection preferably with ground equipment to insure good coverage.
Powdery mildew, Erysiphe sp. is characterized by damaged foliage and pods. Infected leaves turn yellow with spots that release spores giving the leaf a whitish appearance. There will be purple spots are on diseased pods. Spores are spread by the wind and infections are enhanced by heavy dews or other periods of higher moisture. Crop rotation and other cultural practices seem to have little affect on preventing rust, probably because so little is known about development on alternative host.
The fungus, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, affects the stems, leaves and pods of beans. Early signs of infection are small, soft, watery spots that enlarge rapidly under cool, moist conditions. These spots will often enlarge and coalesce. Affected stems can be completely girdled and infected pods turn into a soft, watery mass. After this watery stage the affected tissues dry out, turn brown and within a short time become covered with a dense white fungal growth. The fungal growth ages, turning gray and will be dotted with small, hard black bodies called sclerotia. The disease is favored by temperatures ranging between 60 and 70 degrees F.
Most losses occur in shipping where infected beans tend to stick together. Cultural management includes wider spaced rows to improve air circulation and decreasing the seeding rate. Rank plant growth favors fine growth and should be avoided. During periods of extended cool temperatures and high humidity, fungicides should be considered.
There are two diseases that cause what is often called 'stem blight' in green beans, gummy stem blight and ashley stem blight or charcoal rot. Gummy stem blight is caused by the fungus Didymella bryoniae. This fungus also causes a fruit disease common in squash and pumpkin called black rot. The pathogen can be transmitted by infected seed or on soils where previous infestations have occurred. Spore formation is encouraged by moisture and practically any kind of situation that produces a wet film will promote disease movement. Optimum temperature is 60 to 75 degrees F.
Charcoal rot or ashley stem blight is caused by the pathogen Macrophomina phaseolina. As a stem blight of beans a Macrophomina sp. infection can begin as a root rot and progress up to stems as the disease advances. Small young plants can be killed often when moisture stress impacts the unhealthy material. A good way to avoid stem blight problems is through crop rotation.
Texas Green Bean Disease Control
| Chemical | Pest | % Acres Treated | Rate Per Acre | Pre-harvest Interval |
| fixed copper
(Champion®, Kocide® 101) |
Bacterai | 80 | 1-2 lbs Champion 1-3 lbs Kocide |
7 days |
| mefenoxam
(Ridomil Gold®) |
Rhizoctona | 100% S. Tx 40% W. Tx |
.5lb ai | apply at planting |
| azoxystrobin (Quadris®) |
Rhizoctona | 5% | 6.2-15.4 | 1 day |
Unwanted plants are an important problem in Texas green bean fields and weed control is generally necessary. Weeds compete for space, moisture and nutrients and when present in significant densities impact the yield and quality of harvested material. Established weeds can harbor insect and disease pest providing a 'bridge' to green beans for whiteflies and other problem creatures.
Generally divided into two groups, annual and perennial broadleaf weeds and grasses will traditionally be managed by cultivation along with properly timed herbicide applications. Major Texas green bean weeds include nightshades (Solanum spp.), pigweed (Amaranthaceae), yellow crown beard (Verbesina occidentalis), morning glories (Ipomoea violacea), cocklebur ( Xanthium strumarium), puncture vine (Tribulus terrestris) and spurred anoda (Anoda cristata
(L.) Schlecht. The most abundant weed in Texas green beans would probably be the pigweeds, however the most troublesome is the nightshade group.
Texas Green Bean Weed Control
| Chemical | Timing | Weed | % Acres Treated | Rate per acre |
| quizalop-ethyl (Assure II®) |
preemerg | grassses | 12 oz | |
| (sethoxydim) Poast® Ultra |
preemerg | grasses | 1.5-2.5 pts | |
| S-Metalachlor (Dual II Magnum® 7.62) |
preemerg | grasses & some broadleaf weeds | 1-1.25 pts | |
| trifluralin (Trilin® 5) |
preemerg | Annual weeds
(not effective against sedges) |
80 |
|
| bentazon (Basagran) |
postemerg | broadleaf weeds | 1-2 pts | |
| imazethapyr (Pursuit® DG) |
postemerge (ground only) |
annual grasses, broadleaf weeds | .7 oz |
Mark Black
Extension Plant Pathologist
Texas Cooperative Extension
Uvalde, Texas
m-black@tamu.edu
Frank Dainello
Extension Horticulturist
Texas Cooperative Extension
College Station, Texas
f-dainello@tamu.edu
Juan Anciso
Extension Horticulturist
Texas Cooperative Extension
Weslaco, Texas
j-anciso@tamu.edu
Noel Troxclaire
Extension entomologist
Uvalde, Texas
n-troxclair@tamu.edu
Rodney L. Holloway
Extension Specialist
Texas Cooperative Extension
College Station, Texas
rholloway@tamu.edu