Chocolate Spot in Organic S Beans

[PBarnes]

Hello,

Having had a fantastic looking crop of Organic S Beans all year, the inset of Chocolate Spot has been a major hit on yield and seed size after harvest. Has anyone seen any trial work on treatments, varietal difference etc. etc. they can share?

 

[Tom @ BOFIN]

I think the likes of John Pawsey swear by bicropping to help, or at least trying to open up the canopy.

rust was our big problem in Vincent spr beans for us. We protected the crop going to harvest, but It completely wiped out a field we establisher as NUM3. We just topped the NUM3 area to stop the spread - won’t affect the payment as it had done its job, & it’s an excellent constituent of NUM3. But how much pressure does this unmanaged crop grown for NUM3 place on the proper crop?

 

[Roger Vickers]

Hello,

Having had a fantastic looking crop of Organic S Beans all year, the inset of Chocolate Spot has been a major hit on yield and seed size after harvest. Has anyone seen any trial work on treatments, varietal difference etc. etc. they can share?

While the evaluation was on Rust disease rather than Chocolate spot the continuing PGRO intercropping research showed a dramatic reduction in Bean Rust infection when grown as an intercrop with Oats. The results were reported in The Pulse Magazine in Spring 2021. https://www.pgro.org/downloads/pulse-mag-spring-2021.pdf . This edition is now in the web site publication archive but as a grower you can easily access it if you register as a website user.

 

[flinty]

While the evaluation was on Rust disease rather than Chocolate spot the continuing PGRO intercropping research showed a dramatic reduction in Bean Rust infection when grown as an intercrop with Oats. The results were reported in The Pulse Magazine in Spring 2021. https://www.pgro.org/downloads/pulse-mag-spring-2021.pdf . This edition is now in the web site publication archive but as a grower you can easily access it if you register as a website user.

I just clicked on your link, it opened the pdf straight away, good stuff, thank you

 

[TelesnaAg]

There has been work of using under mat crops like clover or short grass to stop dirt spores splashing onto plant in rain event.

Spraying on molasses or sugar brew be worth looking into as well imo.

Ant...

 

[Erin Matlock]

There has been work of using under mat crops like clover or short grass to stop dirt spores splashing onto plant in rain event.

Spraying on molasses or sugar brew be worth looking into as well imo.

Ant...

How frequent do you spray molasses or sugar brew? Is this is used a preventative treatment or do you start spraying once symptoms show up?

 

[TelesnaAg]

Ive never done it, some guys do it here in pasture, its best to raise brix level so it does not occur. Healthy soil will do this but can spike up with sugar when needed for pressure times of the year.

Something i will start doing in a couple of years.

Like most things..have to trial it yourself and monitor results.

Brix tester cheap, just need to test late afternoon, same time to keep results standard...this is when sugar levels the highest.

I dont cut hay before noon for this reason.

Ant...

 

[TelesnaAg]

How frequent do you spray molasses or sugar brew? Is this is used a preventative treatment or do you start spraying once symptoms show up?

Fyi

Ant...

 

[scotston]

I used a seed coating containing Trichoderma in an organic intercropping trial of winter tundra beans. Very wet winter for a trial, all got chocolate spot in February but shook it off and managed to grow with each new set of leaves being cleaner than the previous. Could have been the intercrop but suspect it was the Trichoderma and luck!

 

[scotston]

While the evaluation was on Rust disease rather than Chocolate spot the continuing PGRO intercropping research showed a dramatic reduction in Bean Rust infection when grown as an intercrop with Oats. The results were reported in The Pulse Magazine in Spring 2021. https://www.pgro.org/downloads/pulse-mag-spring-2021.pdf . This edition is now in the web site publication archive but as a grower you can easily access it if you register as a website user.

That pdf points to a fungicide trial rather than an intercropping trial?

 

[Wigeon]

I'd be interested to know peoples views on organic beans.

I was contemplating growing some, but the merchant said "great, they are worth £400/t, but the seed is extortionate, the yield will be pants, and you'll be left with a horrible weedy mess. Just bung in an undersown spring barley".

Kind of put me off.

 

[scotston]

Lynx bean seed is £880/t (oats are £675 for reference), drilled at 250kgs - 300kgs/ha and yields are usually 1t/ac - 2.5t/ha. sometimes 1.5t/ac Maths pretty simple: £250 - £300 establishment/ha £1000/ha gross. Weeds are a constant organic problem, we often get clovers coming up but I've been trying to overdrill clover after the beans have been drilled to improve this. The worst bit about them is actually the harvest date for us north of Dundee at 600ft in mid October. Good for changing up the biology in the soil and for us bringing in 25% protein for the poultry diet. 50acres still to cut this year, probably more next year.

 

[Wigeon]

Interesting, thanks. My conventional beans are generally pretty terrible, which also puts me off a bit. I'd like to extend my organic rotation a bit obviously, but I'm a bit nervous.

 

[Erin Matlock]

That pdf points to a fungicide trial rather than an intercropping trial?

It all depends on how the pdf opens for you. The intercropping work starts on page 10.

 

[masseyjack]

Interesting, thanks. My conventional beans are generally pretty terrible, which also puts me off a bit. I'd like to extend my organic rotation a bit obviously, but I'm a bit nervous.

Our organic beans are always hit and miss sometimes good sometimes terrible, we have had a spell of growing them with spring wheat which is better for weed control but often ends up with a lot more wheat than beans and then it all needs separating which soon adds up when you're paying for contractors to do that.

This years have done about 1.25 t/ac which isn't terrible really

 

[scotston]

It all depends on how the pdf opens for you. The intercropping work starts on page 10.

Dumbass! thanks for that, the whole thing was interesting. Just a note to say a fellow 10miles North of us is able to get 6t/ha spring beans using 4kgs/ha boron and 50kgs DAP. Not organic but maybe the trace element side of pulses is getting missed not just conventionally but organically. Next spring I'm looking to get trace elements on (within the rules, cobalt, molybdenum, Boron) to see what happens.

 

[Wigeon]

Thanks, yes I've grown winter beans and wheat and it is a bit of a pain, and I'm not sure worth it overall, though some say otherwise.

I'd be happy with that yield on my conventional beans tbh!

Our organic beans are always hit and miss sometimes good sometimes terrible, we have had a spell of growing them with spring wheat which is better for weed control but often ends up with a lot more wheat than beans and then it all needs separating which soon adds up when you're paying for contractors to do that.

This years have done about 1.25 t/ac which isn't terrible really

 

[Roger Vickers]

That pdf points to a fungicide trial rather than an intercropping trial?

Page 10 "Intercropping update:Effect on disease" is what you are looking for.

 

[boasley]

I find hoeing organic beans really useful. We usually grow 50 acres or so, put them in wide rows then hoe from as soon as they're visible till the rows close over. We did some trials this year and hit 5.6t/ha with Victus sown late November. Old beet hoe goes on front of tractor, bought from a fellow member here for £300. It doesn't owe me much!

 

[scotston]

Very interesting and excellent yield, well done! Victus spring beans sown November? Row spacing? Seed rate?