NOTICE: Hard copies of the Australian New Crops Newsletter are available from the publisher, Dr Rob Fletcher. Details of availability are included in the
Advice on Publications Available.Bob Redden
Hermitage Research Station, Warwick
Telephone: 07 4661 2944
Email: ReddenR@dpi.qld.gov.au
Navy beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are a high value summer grain legume, worth at least $700 per tonne. They are best grown as a high input intensive crop in northern New South Wales. The crop window is 90-100 days at Tamworth, but 1-2 weeks later on the New England Highlands.
Navy beans require 18 C soil temperature for germination and pre-emergence herbicide is usually required since they are poor competitors with weeds for the first five weeks.
Crop monitoring for insect pests is required from emergence at least once or twice per week, increasing to 2-3 times/week after flowering. Seedling pests include bean fly, aphids and leafhoppers. From flower budding at 5-6 weeks, thrips can cause abortion of flowers and distorted pods. Heliothis are the most serious pest with both biological (gemstar virus) and pesticides available.
Heat stress from temperatures above 35 C can cause flower abortion. Harvest must occur before seed moisture falls below 12%, because beans can split. Harvest drum speed needs to be low, about 250 RPM to minimise damage and the crop will be downgraded for split or cracked seed.
With these factors taken together, the best sowing times for the Tamworth area would be either in:
On the New England Tablelands, a November sowing leading to a March or April harvest, would be appropriate, due to the lower temperatures and longer season.
The crop is most easily sold through Bean Growers' Australia, who conduct grading at Kingaroy, Queensland and pooling of harvests for sales with Quality Assurance to Heinz, Simplot Edgells or SPC canneries.
Any claims made by authors in the Australian New Crops Newsletter are presented by the Editors in good faith. Readers would be wise to critically examine the circumstances associated with any claims to determine the applicability of such claims to their specific set of circumstances. This material can be reproduced, with the provision that the source and the author (or editors, if applicable) are acknowledged and the use is for information or educational purposes. Contact with the original author is probably wise since the material may require updating or amendment if used in other publications. Material sourced from the Australian New Crops Newsletter cannot be used out of context or for commercial purposes not related to its original purpose in the newsletter
Contact: Dr Rob Fletcher, School of Land and Food, The University of Queensland Gatton College, 4345; Telephone: 07 5460 1311 or 07 5460 1301; Facsimile: 07 5460 1112; International facsimile: 61 7 5460 1112; Email:
r.fletcher@mailbox.uq.edu.au[
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GK; latest update 6 June 1999 by: RF