Beans

Origin

The ancestors of modern snap beans, limas and butterbeans were domesticated 6,000 to 8,000 years ago in Central and South America. Beans 2,500 years old have been preserved in graves in the Andes. Columbus brought New World beans back to Europe where they rapidly replaced the fava beans (Vicia faba) previously consumed by Europeans. Fava beans are more difficult to eat because the seed coat is inedible. Also many people in the Mediterranean are highly allergic to fava beans. Southern peas originated in southern Asia and India, but were brought to Africa by travellers and to the New World with the slave trade.

• BOTANY
• PRODUCTION PRACTICES
• HARVEST AND POST- HARVEST

Integrated Pest Management

Life cycles and monitoring and control practices for some of the common insect pests in the southern U.S. are described in the Insect chapter. Some of the important diseases of vegetables in the South and their control are described in Disease Management. The general principles of insect and disease IPM programs are also described in their respective chapters. Cultivar resistances to the more common insects and diseases in the South are listed below, however, as it may be useful to select cultivars with multiple resistances. Because new resistant cultivars are constantly being released, this list is not inclusive.

References

• Whealy, K. 1992. Seed savers 1992 yearbook. Decorah, Iowa.

• Splittstoesser, W.E. 1990. Vegetable growing handbook, organic and traditional methods. Third Edition. Van Nostrand Reinhold Press, New York.

• U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, Bureau of the Census. 1992 Census of Agriculture. Vol. 1. Geographic Area Series Part 51. United States Summary and State Data.

• Mullins, C.A., and D.L. Coffey. 1983. Effects of molybdenum, granular inoculants, and nitrogen fertilization on snap bean production and leaf nutrient content. Tennessee Farm and Home Science No. 126, p. 2-5.

• Parnes, R. 1990. Fertile soil, a grower's guide to organic and inorganic fertilizers. AgAccess, David, CA.

• Brown, J.E., C.H. Gilliam, R.L. Shumak and D.W. Porch. 1993. Commercial snap bean response to fertilization with broiler litter. HortScience 28:29-31.

• Sanders, D.C. 1990. Lima bean production. NCSU Horticulture Information Leaflet 3-B. Raleigh, NC.

• Sanders, D.C., and J.R. Schultheis. 1989. Southern peas. NCSU Horticulture Information Leaflet 20. Raleigh, NC.

• USDA, Agricultural statistics (1947-1993), US GAO, and Vegetables & Specialties: situation & outlook report (1987-1994). USDA Economic Research Service, quarterly.

• Poleman, C.M., and N.J. Peckenpaugh. 1991. Nutrition essentials and diet therapy. W.B. Saunders Co.
• Rutgers Univ. 1984. Commercial vegetable production recommendations. Bulletin E-001, Rutgers Univ., Cook College, New Brunswick, NJ.

• Sanders, D.C., and J. Davis. 1990. Pole bean production. NCSU Horticulture Information Leaflet 3-A, Raleigh, NC.

• Lorenz, O.A., and D.N. Maynard. 1988. Knott's handbook for vegetable growers. Third edition. Wiley & Sons, New York.

• Seed catalogs such as Johnny's, Petoseed and Asgrow, NC Extension publications, including the 1991 Suggested Vegetable Varieties for the North Carolina Commercial Grower.

• Skarphol, B.J., K.A. Corey and J.J. Meisinger. 1987. Response of snap beans to tillage and cover crop combinations. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 112:936-941.

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Last Modified: Thursday, October 4, 2001