Bean Mold Management Tools and Rotational Systems Management Planning

View the project final report

• 2010 annual report
• 2011 annual report
• 2012 annual report

Commodities

• Vegetables: beans

Practices

• Crop Production: conservation tillage
• Education and Training: demonstration, extension, on-farm/ranch research
• Farm Business Management: agricultural finance
• Pest Management: biological control, integrated pest management
• Production Systems: organic agriculture
• Soil Management: green manures
• Sustainable Communities: sustainability measures

White mold (WM) is a serious disease of snap beans and other vegetable crops in Oregon and nationwide. Fields with >6% infected bean pods are rejected by the processor. Ronilan, a highly effective fungicide, is no longer available, and alternative WM management was the top research need identified in the 2005 snap bean pest management strategic plan.

The objectives of this project were to 1)engage conventional/organic processed/fresh market vegetable growers in development, implementation and evaluation of white mold management tools and systems management planning, 2) investigate biological, cultural and integrated white mold management strategies, 3) demonstrate effective white mold management strategies with and to growers to facilitate adoption, and 4) disseminate project results to a wider audience of farmers and agricultural professionals.

The project demonstated that low rate applications of Contans (Coniothyrium minitans) in combination with a moderately resistant bean cultivar, reduced tillage, and a three-year rotation out of a host crop could be used as a low cost strategy to reduce white mold risk in a rotational system. Farmers and agricultural professionals were engaged with project findings through presentations at Oregon Processed Vegetable Commission meetings, grower meetings and a field day, as well as through two articles published to oregonvegetables.com. Project findings were extended to IPM and horticultural professionals through poster presentations at professional meetings. An eOrganic webinar will be presented in March 2014.

1) Engage conventional/organic processed/fresh market vegetable growers in development, implementation and evaluation of white mold management tools and systems management planning.
2) Investigate biological (Contans), cultural and integrated white mold management strategies.
3) Demonstrate effective white mold management strategies with and to growers to facilitate adoption.
4) Disseminate project results to a wider audience of farmers and agricultural professionals.