Premium Bean Seeds

1. Crop Overview

• Common names: French bean, green bean, snap bean, haricot vert, string bean, farash bean
• Scientific name: Phaseolus vulgaris L.
• Crop type: Cool-season annual legume; frost-sensitive; self-pollinated
• Growth habit:
  • Bush / dwarf type — 30–50 cm tall, needs no support, short concentrated harvest of 3–4 picks over 2–3 weeks
  • Pole / climbing type — 2–3 m tall, must be staked, extended harvest over 6–10 weeks with higher total yield
• End-use: Fresh tender green pods (vegetable market), processed (canned, frozen), and dry bean / rajma at full maturity
• Nutritional value: Rich in protein, fibre, folate, vitamins A, C and K, and minerals
• Pollination: Self-pollinated, but bee visits improve yield in some varieties

2. Climatic Requirements

• Temperature: Optimum 18–25 °C. Growth slows below 15 °C; flowers and young pods drop above 30 °C; frost kills the plant.
• Flower drop: the single biggest reason for low yield. Caused by temperature above 30 °C, soil moisture stress, or strong winds during flowering.
• Daylength: Day-neutral — can be grown across multiple seasons wherever the temperature window is right.
• Rainfall: 600–900 mm well-distributed; sensitive to waterlogging. Heavy rain at flowering causes pod drop and bacterial diseases.
• Altitude: Sea level to 2000 m; in the tropics, hill stations and winter plains both work; in temperate regions, spring and summer crop.

3. Soil & Field Preparation

• Soil: Well-drained sandy loam to loam rich in organic matter; pH 6.0–7.5.
• Avoid heavy clay (poor drainage), saline soil and strongly acidic (<5.5) soil — the Rhizobium symbiosis is weak outside the optimum pH band.
• Plough 2–3 times to a fine tilth and level the field.
• Incorporate 10–15 t/ha well-decomposed FYM or compost at the last ploughing.
• Form ridges or raised beds 15–20 cm high for irrigated crops; ensure drainage in monsoon-grown crops.

4. Sowing & Crop Establishment

• Beans are direct-sown; no nursery is needed.
• Sowing depth: 3–5 cm. Deeper sowing in light soil; shallower in heavy or moist soil.
• Method: Dibbling, seed-drill or precision planter. Plant 1–2 seeds per hill at the correct spacing.
• Soil moisture: Adequate moisture at sowing is critical — a pre-sowing irrigation 3–4 days before planting gives the most uniform stand.
• Germination: 5–8 days at soil temperature 18–25 °C; slower and patchier below 15 °C.
• For staggered supply, sow in batches at 10–15 day intervals (bush type) so that the harvest window extends over months.

5. Seed Rate & Seed Treatment

Seed rate

• Bush / dwarf type: 60–80 kg/ha
• Pole / climbing type: 25–30 kg/ha (much wider spacing)

Seed treatment

• Treat seed with Trichoderma viride @ 4 g/kg or Thiram / Captan @ 2–3 g/kg to control seed rot, damping-off and seedling diseases.
• Rhizobium inoculation: Inoculate seed with Rhizobium phaseoli @ 5–10 g/kg seed just before sowing. This builds nitrogen-fixing nodules and reduces N fertilizer need.
• Apply biofertilizer (Rhizobium + PSB) in a 10% jaggery / sugar solution; shade-dry seed for 30 minutes before sowing.
• Never mix fungicide and biofertilizer in the same step — treat with fungicide first, dry, then inoculate with Rhizobium.

6. Spacing & Plant Population

• Thin to one healthy plant per hill 10–12 days after emergence.
• Fill gaps within the first week so the stand stays uniform.

7. Staking & Training (Pole Types)

Only pole / climbing beans need support — bush types need none. But for pole types, staking decides yield more than fertilizer or irrigation.

• Stakes: bamboo, wood or steel rods 2.5–3.0 m long, sunk 30–40 cm into the ground at each hill.
• A-frame or tepee: two opposing stakes tied at the top, with the bean planted at the base of each — simple, sturdy and easy to harvest from.
• Trellis / wire system: two horizontal wires at 0.5 m and 1.8 m with vertical strings; ideal for commercial-scale planting.
• Guide the vine onto the support when it reaches 15–20 cm; from there it climbs by twining on its own.
• Tie loosely with soft twine where needed; remove dense, shaded inner growth to improve airflow.

8. Nutrient Management (per hectare)

Indicative dose — adjust to soil test report and local recommendation. Beans fix their own nitrogen, so the N dose is deliberately low:

9. Irrigation

• Beans are sensitive to both drought and waterlogging.
• Critical stages: flowering (30–40 DAS) and pod-fill (45–60 DAS). Stress here directly drops pods.
• Irrigate every 5–7 days in the irrigated dry-season crop; lighter and less frequent in the cooler season.
• Avoid overhead irrigation during flowering — wet flowers drop and wet leaves favour bacterial blight, anthracnose and rust.
• Drip irrigation with plastic mulch on raised beds is ideal for export-grade French beans: it gives even moisture, saves water, suppresses weeds and reduces disease.
• Stop irrigation 7–10 days before the last harvest of bush types so pods firm up; pole types are picked over a long period and need continued irrigation.

10. Weed & Intercultural Care

• Keep the field weed-free for the first 30–45 days — this is the most critical period for weed competition.
• Two shallow hand-weedings (at 15–20 and 35–40 DAS) plus inter-row hoeing are usually sufficient.
• Earthing-up at 25–30 days strengthens the plant base — especially important for bush types to support pod-laden branches.
• Pre-emergence herbicide (e.g. pendimethalin 1.0 kg a.i./ha) can be used as per local recommendation in large-scale plantings.
• Avoid deep cultivation — bean roots are shallow and surface nodules damage easily.

11. Plant Protection — Pests

12. Plant Protection — Diseases

13. Physiological Disorders

• Flower and pod drop: the most common bean complaint — caused by temperature above 30 °C, water stress, or strong wind at flowering. Schedule sowing so flowering falls in the mild window and keep soil moisture even.
• Crooked or curled pods: caused by uneven moisture, calcium / boron deficiency, or insect damage during early pod development. Maintain steady irrigation and balanced micronutrients.
• Stringy pods: over-mature picking, or use of older "stringy" varieties — pick at the right stage and choose modern "stringless" hybrids.
• Sunscald: exposed pods scorch in hot direct sun — maintain healthy foliage cover.
• Poor nodulation: seen as a pale, yellow crop in spite of good agronomy — caused by no Rhizobium inoculation, low molybdenum, very acidic soil, or carry-over herbicide.

14. Harvesting & Post-Harvest

• Stage: pick tender pods when they are fully elongated, smooth and firm, but before the seeds inside bulge visibly. Pods should snap cleanly when bent.
• First pick: bush type 50–60 days after sowing; pole type 60–75 days after sowing.
• Picking interval: every 2–3 days for fresh / export market; every 4–5 days for local market.
• Pick in the cool part of the day; handle gently to avoid bruising and water loss.
• Grade by length, colour and shape (for export, uniformity is crucial); pack in ventilated crates or perforated cartons.
• Yield:
  • Bush type: 8–12 t/ha green pods
  • Pole type: 15–25 t/ha green pods
  • Dry bean (rajma) end-use: 1.5–2.5 t/ha grain
• Storage: fresh pods keep 7–10 days at 4–7 °C and 90–95% RH; do not store below 4 °C — chilling injury appears as pitting and russeting.

15. Country-Wise Climate & Sowing Guide

French beans need a mild temperature window of 18–25 °C — not too hot, not too cold, and frost-free. Schedule sowing so flowering falls in the mild season and pod development is not hit by extreme heat or heavy rain. Windows below are indicative — adjust to local altitude and micro-climate.

16. Frequently Asked Questions