Bean Crop Production

Training Guide

Boaz Waswa
 Introduction
 Bean classes
 Micronutrient rich beans
 Bean agronomy
 Bean diseases and pests
 Production, productivity and
seed road map
 Gross margins
 Introduction

•Bean is one of the most important food crops.

•Bean is a near perfect food with essential proteins and other
nutrients
•Low bean yields in farmers fields is attributed
•to low rainfall,
•poor crop management,
•non-application of fertilisers or manure,
• and high incidence of bean fly.

24 March 2023
 Choosing varieties

•Farmers have been growing bean varieties they find popular

•Some of these varieties have some issues like disease attack,
late maturity etc
•In most cases farmers are not aware or can’t access new
improved varieties
•Farmers need to grow marketable beans
•Farmer need to grow and market beans commercially

24 March 2023
 `Classes of beans
1. Andean (large seeded) 2. Mesoamerican (small seeded)

Red mottled – 15 Green yellow (KAT B1) (1) Yellow (Njano Uyole)

Red kidney
(3)

Navy (white) - 5 Small Red – 4 Pinto

Speckled
sugar – 3

Rosecoco –
Not GLP2
Micronutrient Rich Beans
 Why micro-nutrient rich beans
• High malnutrition rates (over and under nutrition and micronutrient
deficiency) is a major concern in Kenya
• 26% children under 5 are stunted and 11% underweight
• 46% of women are iron deficient -
• 67% of men are zinc deficient – marital problems?

• In 2012 through an act of Parliament – Flour Milling companies

compelled to fortify their flour – rural areas?
• Through conventional plant breeding process – improve nutritive
value
• Bean an important crop – contribution to ending malnutrition,
poverty and trade
 Micro-nutrient rich bush beans for medium and
high potential
These are good for home consumption and trade
Seed of Angaza and
Faida available from
East Africa Seed
Company
• Angaza (licensed by KALRO)
• High iron content (> • Faida
94ppm), high Zinc • Moderate iron, high
40ppm Zinc content (>
• early maturing, 32.5ppm),
• high yields (1.4-2.5 t/ha) • high yields (1.4-2 t/ha)
• sugar type • Indeterminate
 Drought tolerant micro-nutrient
rich bush beans
•Nyota ▪High Yields: 1,400-2,200 kg per ha
▪drought tolerant
▪Early maturing 65-75 days
▪Red mottled grain
▪High iron (90ppm) and high zinc
(37ppm)
▪Cold dry highlands & ASALs
▪Good for industrial processing
 Njano Uyole
Green Yellow (KAT B1) (Yellow beans family)
(Yellow beans family)

Grain is greenish yellow, medium in Grain is yellow, medium

size and circular to elliptic in shape seeded, elliptic kidney shape 10
 Rosecoco Faida
Wairimu Nyota or Nyayo

Amin Green yellow Saitoti

Angaza
24 March 2023
• What seed you grow
• Portion of land you plant
• Agronomy
• Weed Control
• Pest and diseases
• Harvesting and processing

24 March 2023
 EAS 46:2013 – DRY BEANS STANDARDS
S/N Characteristics Maximum limits Method of test
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3
i) Foreign matter, % m/m 0.5 0.75 1
i) Inorganic matter, % m/m 0.1 0.2 0.3
i) Other edible grains, % m/m 0.1 0.2 0.5
i) Pest damaged grains, % m/m 1 2 3
i) Heat damaged grains, % m/m 0.1 0.2 0.5
i) ISO 605
Contrasting varieties %m/m 0.5 1 1.5
i) Broken/split % m/m 1 2 3
i) Discoloured %m/m 1
i) Total defectives grains, % m/m 2 3.5 5.5
i) Filth, % m/m 0.1
i) Moisture, % m/m 14 ISO 24557
i) Total aflatoxin (AFB1+AFB2+AFG1 10
+AFG2)), ppb ISO 16050
i) Aflatoxin B1, ppb 5
i) Fumonisin ppm 2 AOAC 2001.04
NOTEThe parameter,Total defective grains is not the sum total of the individual defects. It is limited to
70 % of the sum total of individual defects.
Soil

15
16
 Good bean seed – for planting
• Farmers must start by planting good quality
seed for good crop establishment. Seed
should be—
• One variety (one colour or colour pattern)
• Viable (ability to germinate)
• Free from seed-borne diseases and pest
damage
• Free from inert materials
• Not shrivelled, mouldy or cracked
• Not rotten or discoloured
24 March 2023
 Seed Treatment– at planting
• At planting
• If not using certified
seed
• Need to treat at
planting
• Sort grain
• Mix with a seed
treatment chemical
• Prevents seedling
diseases and some
soil insect pest
 Bean Agronomy conti
• Seed rate
• The recommended seed rate is 40-
50 kg/ha (16-30 kg/acre).
•
• Number of seeds per hill
• Sow at least 2 seeds per hill
•
• Depth of planting
• Plant at a depth of 4-5 cm.
24 March 2023
 Spacing

• 50cm by 10cm

• Or 45cm by 15cm

• Planting a row of
maize after 20-
30rows may help
(rate of growth)
 Isolation distance
• Minimum 5m from any other bean variety
• Grow same variety & seed lot
• Plant several
rows of maize,
onions, Sukuma,
Faida
to separate the
two varieties

Angaza
Bean weeding
 Types of weeds

Broad leaves

Grasses
 Why is proper weed control important?
• Weeds greatly reduce crop yield as well as its general performance.
• They harbor pests and diseases.
• They directly compete with plants for growth factors like sunlight, water,
nutrients, space. This makes the plants weak and susceptible to attack by
pathogens.
• Some are parasitic, others are harmful when eaten by livestock and
humans.
• Generally, plants in wrong places look ugly.
• Some weeds can damage the crop by producing toxic substances
• They cause harvesting problems, especially those that develop late in the
crop season
 Weed management
Chemical method
Proper choice of the herbicide to use
• Pre-emergence
• Hotline® 450 SC (Linuron 450g/L)

• Post-emergence
• Catapult® 480SL (Glyphosate – isopropyl ammonium 480g/L)
• BeansClean
• Pentagram
• Hotline® 450 SC (Linuron 450g/L)
• Forester® 150 EC (Fluazifop – p – butyl 150g/L)
• Basagram

NOTES
• Young weeds are easier to control with chemicals
• Control weeds when they are young
• Apply herbicides to actively growing weeds
• Apply early morning and when moist – not when sun is up
• Keep records of all agrochemicals used
 Weed management
• Mechanical method
• Jembes, hoes, among others
• Ox plough weeding
• Scrapper

• Cultural method
• Planting early maturing bean varieties
• Using clean bean seeds that are free from weed seeds
• Using irrigation water that is free from weed seeds
• Mulching
• Crop rotation
• Proper spacing
• Hand pulling/uprooting the weeds
• Early planting
 Bean Fertility – at planting
• At planting
• Soil analysis required to show status
• Manure or basal fertiliser
• Acidity – may not use DAP
• Fertilizer with macro-and micro
nutrients
Micro-nutrient Deficiency
Management

➢ Soil sampling
➢Fertilisers with many
elements
 Bean Fertility – Top-dressing
• Vegetative stage
• Beans must be weed free
• Fertilizer with macro-and
micro nutrients
• Need to establish economics
of
• 2 sprays (at 14-16day after
germination and at
flowering)
• 3-4 sprays (after
emergence 7-10day, 17-
20day, Flowering - 27-
30thday and at 37-40day
 Bean Fertility – Top-dressing cont’
• Flowering & podding stage
• Just before flowering and during
podding hand pull any weeds
before foliar application
• Foliar fertilizer must have more
boron –
• prevent flower abortion
• When to spray - 27-30thday and
or at 37-40day
Some Key Bean Diseases & Pests
 Introduction
• Beans are sensitive to pests & diseases & can easily be
wiped out if not properly taken care of.
• It does not matter the stage of beans.
• You can easily lose your beans even at podding stage. Take
care until you harvest.

• A week is too long to fail to inspect your beans to assess

the performance.
• Regular scouting for early incidences of pests & diseases
is critical for timely management.
 Introduction cont’’
• Some levels of
devastation may be
too late to intervene
even with the most
effective fungicides.
• Go for preventive
care.
• Early intervention will
save your
investments. Sick bean field
Preventive diseases control and enhanced fertility
Anthracnose disease

▪ Anthracnose on stem, leaves and pods

▪ Ounce infected control difficult
▪ Don’t use seed from infected plants
 Bean common mosaic virus

• Grow tolerant
varieties
• Grow certified;
expected not to
have the disease

Mosaic pattern Stunted plants

 Fusarium root rot Management
• Plant tolerant
varieties
• Practice crop
rotation (and not
with irish
potatoes)
• Treat planting
seed with a
Fusarium infected roots Adventigous roots fungicide eg
grow on infected plant Apron Star,
Murtano
Leaf Rust Management
❖Plant resistant varieties
❖Rotate with non host plants
Spray fungicides alternating active
ingredient (with sticker): fungicides:
EXEMPO CURVE 250SC
15ml/20l
EXPLORER 3SL 10ml/20l
JUPITER 125SC 15ml/20l
MILESTONE 250EC 10ml/20l
MILLIONAIRE 690WDG
40g/20l

❖ Maintain field hygiene

Powdery mildew Management
➢Apply Sulphur based
fungicides as preventive
rather than going
curative
➢ Start the crop on well
moisture fertilized soil
for crop to be strong
➢Do not carry out
overhead irrigation
➢Do not grow crop
undershades
Diseases spray chemicals – know what to spray
Bean Pests
Pests at Bean Seedling stage
Cutworm
Management
❖Apply an insecticide late in the
afternoon for best control
❖A mulch of neem leaves is
useful against cutworms.
Bean fly Cultural methods
➢Early planting prevents high damage which
come later
➢Earthing /building up the soil around the plants
to cover the roots at 2-3 weeks after
emergence.

Chemical control
Various systemic insecticides, eg, KINGCODE
ELITE 50EC, LEXUS 247SC, SINOPHATE 750SP,
EMERALD 200SL, LOYALTY 700WDG, PROFILE
440EC,
and PRESENTO 200SP
Pest at Bean Flowering stage
 Cultural approach
➢Crop weeding.
Thrips
Chemical control
Products:
Neem Oil (70%)
Causes anti-feeding of thrips juvenile and
adult stages,
Use of “Nimbedecine” in Kenyan agrovets.

BotaniGard ES;
Contains Beauveria bassiana spores effective
for eliminating most pests on bean crop
besides thrips
Aphids
Cultural approach
➢Clip off and compost stems holding aphid
clusters.
➢Dusting the plants with flour constipates
the pests.
➢Weed control

Chemical control
Following insecticides can be used
AMAZING TOP 100WDG 5g/20l
BACIGUARD 16WDG 15g/20l
EMERALD 200SL 10ml/20l
EMERALD GOLD 700WDG 5g/20l, etc
White flies
Cultural approach
➢Proper crop weeding

Chemical control
➢Taurus 500 SP (15g/20l)
➢Presento 200 SP (5g/20l)
➢Profile 440EC (30ml/20l)
➢Emerald 200SL (10ml/20l)
➢King Code Elite 50EC (10ml/20l)
➢N/B: Always include Integra
(3ml/20l) which is a sticker /wetter/
spreader /penetrant
Pests at Bean Podding stage
 Cultural approach
Pod Borers ❖Most of the pod borers are damaging
at caterpillar stage, like bollworm
larva, Heliothis larva, or Maruca
moth
❖Destroy plant debris of previous
crop,

Chemical control
❑Synthetic pyrethroids are effective,
but will also kill natural enemies
❑Use plant-derived products, such as
neem, derris, pyrethrum and
chilli (with the addition of soap),
 Sucking insects Cultural approach
❑Plant sucking bugs occur from vegetative
to early podding stage
❑Planting repellent plants within bean
plants like “Dania” and onions will
reduce numbers on the plants

Chemical control
❑Synthetic pyrethroids are effective, but
will also kill natural enemies
Bean bug ❑Use plant-derived products, such as
neem, derris, pyrethrum and chilli (with
the addition of soap),
Storage pests
Bruchids Bruchids can cause major
losses

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Lesser Grain Borer, Rhyzopertha dominica

(a), Sorghum /Maize Weevil, Sitophilus Zeamais (Source: USAID, 2012)

54
Angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella
(a) Red flour beetle

Figure 1-2: (Source: USAID, 2012)

55
 Control of storage pests

• Hygiene in the field is critical

• Grain drying is critical

56
Dry salt method

57
 Grain moisture meter
▪ Moisture meters enable accurate determination of the recommended
moisture content for storage (10%)
Multipurpose
grain moisture
meter

58
Things to note on chemical packs
Date of mfg/
Trade name
batch No
Formulation
Recommendations
Registration No.
Content
Safety warning Reference to
Shelf life
leaflet

Manufacturer/
Distributor
AAK logo

WHO
Pictograms
Warning band
Pesticide Labels (Colour bands)
Extremely hazardous
RED

Highly hazardous
RED
Moderately hazardous
YELLOW
Slightly hazardous
BLUE
Unlikely to present
acute Hazard
GREEN
Summary on bean pests control
•Timely planting
•Early maturing, varieties they escape attack by
insects
•Use insecticides for control of bean pests
•Do not use one type of insecticide repeatedly to
avoid creating resistance by insects.
•Do NOT mix insecticides and foliar fertilizers in
ONE spray tank
 Improper spraying for fungicides, insecticides, foliar
leads to issues

Angaza Uproot sick Nyota

plants
Combination of
diseases and
Micronutrient pest attack
deficiency
 Bean Growing Calendar
Activity Notes Date Carried out Comments/
Observations
Land preparation Area planted
Mode of preparation
Seed preparation Seed dressing, which product
Planting Date, Spacing, fertilizer type
1st Weeding (2 weeks after germination) Date, number of people, days taken
Germination assessment (1 week after Date, Estimate germination percentage (%)
germination)
Pest and disease monitoring (Thrice a week) Records dates and any signs of pest and
diseases
Preventive pest and disease control Pesticide and fungicide used: Dates applied
Vegetative foliar application (After 1st weeding) Date, Name of product:

2nd Weeding (4 weeks after germination, just Date, number of people, days taken
before flowering)
Fruiting and podding foliar application (After Date, Name of product
second weeding at initial flowering stage)
Harvesting at maturity Date and weather conditions
Extreme weather conditions or any other risk Date, event and occurrence, impact on bean
events crop
Production, productivity and
seed road map
 Production and Productivity at farmers level

Variety Kg Kg Productivity
planted Harvested (multiplication ratio)
(production)

1 -A 2 54 27
2-K 2 16 8
3–E 2 15 7.5
4–F 2 9.5 4.8
Angaza – Bomet
5–M 2 28 14
1kg is averaging 29kg harvested
6–N 2 13 6.5
1kg to 45kg or to 60kg is
7 – KX 10 28 2.8 possible
8-B 8 51 6.4
Productivity each from 2kg bean seed planted
 Sustaining on-farm seed & certified seed
• When to purchase certified and when to use farm saved seed
• As much as practical – don’t buy seed from grain stores
Seed Merchant/
Agrovet
Grain for home
& market Cost of seed – 1 acre
New seed
- 24kg * 275 = Ksh 6,600
Season 1 – - 6,600/3 = Ksh 2,200
Bulked seed
Bulking for
seed
Season 2 – Season 3 –
Bulking for Bulking for
seed/grain grain
Grain for
home &
market
Grain for home,
market & seed
 Seed Sales in a Production hub – creating
business to agro-dealers - practical

Seed sales by an agrodealer in a production hub – target 2,000 farmers

Season Season 1 Seson2 Season 3

No of farmers purchasing 200 150 200
No of kgs bought 800 500 900
 Will farmers produce grain bean
profitably

•Do you keep your farm records?

 Will farmers produce grain bean
profitably

•Do you keep your farm records?

 Beans Gross Margins
ENTERPRISE OUTPUT Unit Quantity Price: Total Revenue
Kshs/Acre
Yield: 90kg bag

TOTAL VARIABLE COSTS Unit Quantity Cost Total cost

Intermediate inputs
Ploughing (tractor) 1st acre
Ploughing (tractor) 2nd acre
Harrowing (tractor) acre
Ridging/furrowing acre
Seeds kg
Manure kg
Bean herbicide litre
Fertilizer-DAP 50 kg bag
Fertilizer-CAN 50 kg bag
Foliar feed - vegetative litre
Foliar feed - flowering litre
Sub-total cost
 Beans Gross Margins - cont”
ENTERPRISE OUTPUT Unit Quantity Price: Total Revenue
Kshs/Acre
TOTAL VARIABLE COSTS Unit Quantity Cost Total cost
Land clearing
Planting mds
st
Weeding 1 mds
nd
Weeding 2 mds
d
Weeding 3r mds
Pesticides Kg/Lt
Fungicides Kg/Lt
Pesticides application mds
Fungicides application mds
Harvesting mds
Drying mds
Threshing mds
Sub-total cost
 Beans Gross Margins - cont”
Marketing Costs
ENTERPRISE OUTPUT Unit Quantity Cost Total cost
Bags 90 kg bags
Bagging costs mds
Storage and loading costs 90 kg bags
Transport 90 kg bags
Levies 90 kg bags
Other costs 90 kg bags
Sub-total cost
Total Variable Costs
Total Fixed Costs (Share)

Gross Margin
Net Profit/Loss
Average cost Per bag
(KSh.)
Gross margin per
bag(KSh.)
Break-even yield
Break-even price
 Bean costs and prices per kg: Along the Hubs
Producer Broker/trader Whole saler Retailer
Land preparation = 11 Buying price = 55 Buying price= 65 Buying price= 70
Seed = 7.5 Transport = 5 Transport= 2 Transport= 2
Labour = 15 costs = 60 costs = 67 Storage/rent = 4
costs = 33.5 Fixed costs = shs 2 Fixed costs = shs 2 costs = 76
(approx) (approx)
Fixed costs = shs 2 Fixed costs = shs 2
(approx) (approx)
Total costs = 35.5 total costs = shs 62 Total costs = shs 69 Total costs =78

Therefore farmers need to know their production cost per kg

Thank you