beans farming business plan

Beans Farming: Business Plan And Guide For Beginners

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Commercial beans farming is not a new business idea. People are growing beans in both small scale and commercially from the ancient time. Beans are actually a tender vegetable and very popular among people. You can even grow beans in your home garden .

Beans actually belong to Leguminaceae family and it is a very important vegetable in many countries around the world. It is also cultivated in many countries, mainly for the green pod. The bean plants have a climbing habit, so you need to arrange such system for commercial beans farming.

Green edible beans are mainly used in daily cooking as vegetable, and also used as animal fodder and also for soil improvements. The green beans are generally harvested with their beans in a pod before they are fully matured. They are more nutritionally comparable to other pod vegetables. That’s why they have very good demand in the local market.

However, both small scale and commercial beans farming is very easy and profitable. You can make good profits from this business.

Table of Contents

How to Start Beans Farming Business?

Starting commercial beans farming business is very easy and simple. You can start this business even if you are a beginner.

Although, you should learn practically from existing farmers if you are a beginner. Here we are trying to describe more information about starting beans farming business.

Step 1. Site Selection

Bean plants can be grown in a wide range of soil types. Generally the Indian beans thrives best in loamy, silty loam and clay loam soils. Try to select the soil with good drainage system. The pH range between 5.5 and 6.0 is considered ideal for bean plants.

Step 2. Land Preparation

Cool climatic condition and fertile soils are necessary for good beans production. It will be better if the land is rich in organic matter, or you can add as much organic matter as you can while preparing the soil.

Add enough farmyard manure or any type of good compost. Doing this will make the soil fertile. For commercial production, give 2-3 ploughing for bringing the soil at fine tilth. Then make the field level so that you can avoid water stagnation in the main field. Add compost or farmyard manure at the last ploughing.

Step 3. Climate Requirement

Most of the common beans generally grow within a range of temperatures of 17.5° C to 27° C. Temperature above 30° C is not good for beans farming, and may cause the bean flower buds to fall.

But the French beans thrives within the ideal temperature range of 20° C to 25° C. And can also be grown in temperatures ranging between 14° C and 32° C.

Step 4. Varieties/Cultivars

There are many different varieties/cultivars of beans available throughout the world. The world genebanks are currently holding about 40,000 different bean varieties. But not all these varieties are used for commercial beans farming business.

Only a few varieties are grown for human consumption. Among these varieties two common types of beans are grown commercially. And these two types are bush beans and pole beans.

The pole bean varieties will vine and need to be grown up stakes or trellises. But the bush beans tend to grow more compactly and generally do not require support. Growing the bush beans is much easier that the pole beans. But the pole beans are very hardy, disease resistant and generally produce more beans.

Some common/popular and mostly cultivated bean varieties are Lablab, Yardlong, Runner, Lima, Pinto, Black, Green, Butter, Yellow, Soybeans, Peas, Black-eyed etc. You should select those varieties which grow well in your area. You can consult with a local farmer for more information.

Step 5. Purchase Seeds/Plants

Bean plants are grown from seeds. You can purchase the seeds easily from any of your nearest seed stores or nurseries. You can also consider ordering online.

Step 6. Planting

Prepare the land perfectly before planting beans. Planting system is different depending on the type of beans. Whichever variety you choose, soak the seeds in clean water for 24 hours before sowing. Doing this will help in faster germination.

Planting Pole Beans

Pole beans will vine and they need to be grown up stakes or trellises. These types of beans require staking with supports and you can use fence, trellis, bamboo, loader or string for this purpose.

Corn or sunflower stalks can also be used for bean supports. Ensure that you have the support ready for the bean plants to climb on before planting pole bean varieties.

Planting Bush Beans

It’s actually very easy to grow the bush bean varieties. They generally require less care and maintenance for growing and generally don’t require any support. They are bushy plants and grow close to the ground.

The bush bean varieties generally produce early crop. For planting in rows, keep 1.5-2 ft space between two rows and around 0.5-1 ft space between two plants.

Step 7. Caring

The bean plants are generally very hardy. They generally grow well and require less caring and other management. Although, taking additional caring will help the plants to grow well and produce more. Here we are trying to describe more about the caring process of bean plants.

Fertilizing

Adding organic fertilizers while preparing the soil will be enough for the bean plants. But for commercial production, you have to apply some chemical fertilizer.

Apply fertilizer dose of nitrogen at the rate of 6kg per acre (urea at the rate of 13kg per acre) and phosphorus pentoxide at the rate of 8kg per acre (single super phosphate at the rate of 50kg per acre).

Watering/Irrigation

Adequate moisture in the soil is a must for beans farming business. So, you have to water the plants on a regular basis. Water the plants at least once a week or more frequently during dry weather.

Mulching helps to retain moisture into the soil. It also helps to prevent weeds. Always try to use organic materials for mulching (such as grass clippings, composted leaves, straw etc.)

Pruning is not a mandatory for beans. But you can cut the top of the plant when there are several true leaves. Doing this will encourage the plant to grow new vines.

Frequent weeding and hoeing are required to keep the field weed free. 1-2 hoeing are required after 30-50 days of sowing to control the weeds. Mulching is also an effective way to reduce soil temperature along with weed control.

Step 8. Control Pests and Diseases

Like many other commercial crops , the bean plants are also susceptible to many pests and diseases. Here we are trying to describe more about the common pests and diseases of bean plants. Common pests and diseases and their controlling methods are mentioned below.

Blister Beetle

Blister beetle damages the flower and blocks the pod formation. Spraying of deltamethrin 2.8 EC at the rate of 200 ml or indoxacarb 14.5 SC at the rate of 200 ml or acephate 75 SP at the rate of 800g per acre in 80-100 ltr of water will be effective.

Leaf Stem Rotten

Leaf stem rotten disease damages the stem and as result there is low seed yield and it’s quality also decreases.

Powdery Mildew

Patchy, White powdery growth appear on lower side of leaves. Avoid water lodging in field and keep the field clean for preventing this disease. To Control spray with Hexaconazole along with sticker at the rate of 1ml per Ltr of water.

Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves disease appears firstly as a red spot and then gradually it turns into reddish brown and then yellow. It will decrease the leaves production. For treating this disease, you have to remove the infected portion as early as possible.

Yellow Mosaic

Light and green patches are observed on leaves in yellow mosaic disease affected plant. Plant growth get stops in early stage. For controlling, spray Acephate 75SP at the rate of 600gm per 200Ltr or Methyl demeton 25EC at the rate of 2ml per Ltr of water.

Moist and poorly drain soil causes wilt and it is a soil borne disease. To control Wilt, Drench nearby soil with Copper oxychloride at the rate of 25gm or Carbendazim at the rate of 20gm per 10Ltr of water. To control Wilting of plants due to root rot do drenching with Trichoderma bio fungus at the rate of 2.5kg per 500Ltr water, near to roots of plants.

Aphids suck sap from the leaf and the plant suffer. For controlling aphids, spray Acephate 75SP at the rate of 1gm per Ltr or Methyl demeton 25EC at the rate of 2ml per Ltr of water.

Larva destroys the leaves and pod of the plant by feeding themselves on the leaves and bore in the pod.[ 1 ]

Lizard causes cuts to the leaves and buds of the plant. Spraying of pesticide around the plant will help to remain lizard away from the plants. Spraying must be done in evening.

Mites are widely distributed pests observed throughout the world. Spray of Chlorfenapyr at the rate of 15ml per Ltr or Abamectin at the rate of 15ml per Ltr are found effective.

Pod borer damages the pod by eating the young seeds or by moving on one pod to another. Spraying of indoxacarb 14.5 SC at the rate of 200 ml or acephate 75 SP at the rate of 800 g or spinosad 45 SC at the rate of 60 ml in 100 litres of water per acre is given to treat pod borer.

Small Larva

Small larva damages the leaves and green stems by feeding themselves. Spraying of Ekalux 25 EC at the rate of 200ml in 80-100 ltr of water or Nuvan 100 at the rate of 200ml in 80-100l of water is used to treat hairy caterpillar.

Thrips are commonly observed pest. Use organic methods first for controlling. But if incidence of thrips is more, then take spray of Imidacloprid 17.8SL or Fipronil at the rate of 1ml per Ltr water or Acephate 75% WP at the rate of 1gm per Ltr.

Step 9. Harvesting

Most of the beans can be harvested after 55-60 days from planting seeds. And you can start to harvest the beans generally after 20-25 days after the plants start flowering. Simply pull the pods off the plant by hand. You can also use scissors or pruning shears to cut the pods off the plant.

It’s very difficult to tell the exact amount and depends on many different factors including season, variety etc. But the average yield is 10-12 tonnes of green pods per hectare.

Step 10. Marketing

Marketing beans is very easy and simple. You can easily sell your products in the local market. Although, you should set your marketing strategies before starting this business.

These are the steps and ways for commercial beans farming business. Hope this guide has helped you! Good luck and may God bless you! 🙏

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2 thoughts on “beans farming: business plan and guide for beginners”.

Thank you for sharing. How many tones can I get from sugar beans per hactare

Actually, it’s really really very hard to tell the exact amount, because it depends on many different factors. You can consult with some existing farmers in your area for having an average recommendation. Thank you!

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BUSINESS PLAN FOR BEANS FARMING

Executive Summary

A.        INTRODUCTION

Management Team

The products

Personal goals

Business goals

B.        M ARKETING ANALYSIS

Sales forecast

Marketing Actions to achieve objectives

C.        ORGANIZATIONAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES PLAN

Personnel Department

Marketing Department

Number of Employees Needed

Employee Welfare Programme

Cash Flow Forecast

D.        FINANCIAL PLAN

Estimates of Capital expenditure needs

Pay-back plan

E.         CONCLUSION

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Miragrade Beans Farm is a sole proprietorship agricultural business that is registered under the Laws of Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is owned by Mr. Olu Olawale, who has a Master Degree in Agricultural Technology and a Master in Business Administration. The business is located at No, 4, Step Down, Lagos Benin Express, Ore, Ondo State. The farm is intended to sit on a fifteen acres of land that will cover the farm itself and offices for administrative purposes. The expected total capital investment is N10,000,000 (Ten Millions Naira Only) and it is expected to commence in June, 2021.Going by the operational plan, marketing analysis, intended management approach, financial plan and projection and risk management plan ;the business is expected to generate massive return on investment, and hence it is considered a profitable and viable business.

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Beans Farm Business Plan Template

Explore Options to Get a Business Plan.

Are you interested in starting your own Beans Farm Business?

Introduction

Global market size, target market, business model, competitive landscape, legal and regulatory requirements, financing options, marketing and sales strategies, operations and logistics, human resources & management, why write a business plan.

Why write a business plan? A business plan is a critical tool for businesses and startups for a number of reasons: - Articulate and flesh out the business’s goals and objectives: A business plan can help to clearly define and outline the objectives and goals of the business. This not only helps the business owner to have a clear understanding of their vision, but it also allows potential investors or partners to fully understand the direction and potential of the business. - Serve as a roadmap for the business: A business plan acts as a roadmap for the business, providing a clear direction and path to follow. This is especially important for businesses that are growing and evolving, as it can be easy to get sidetracked without a clear plan in place. - Communicate the business’s vision: A business plan can be a valuable tool for communicating the business’s vision to employees, customers, and other key stakeholders. It allows them to understand the purpose and mission of the business, creating a sense of unity and direction. - Ensure business success: A business plan is one of the most affordable and straightforward ways of ensuring the success of a business. It helps to identify potential challenges and opportunities, allowing the business to make informed decisions and stay on track towards its goals. - Understand competition and differentiate the business: Writing a business plan requires conducting a thorough analysis of the market and competition. This allows the business to better understand its unique selling proposition and differentiate itself from the competition. - Understand customers: A business plan also involves conducting a customer analysis, which is essential for creating better products and services and effectively marketing to target audiences. - Determine financial needs: A business plan helps to determine the financial needs of the business, including how much capital is needed to start and how much funding is required to support growth. This allows the business to plan and allocate resources effectively. - Analyze and improve business model: By putting the business model into words and analyzing it, a business plan can identify any weaknesses or gaps in the strategy. This allows the business to make improvements and increase revenue potential. - Attract investors and partners: A well-written business plan can serve as a powerful tool to attract investors and partners. It provides a comprehensive overview of the business, its potential, and its plans for growth. - Position the brand: A business plan allows the business to understand its role in the marketplace and how it can position its brand to stand out and appeal to target customers. - Uncover new opportunities: The process of brainstorming and drafting a business plan can help to uncover new ideas and opportunities for the business. This allows the business to continuously innovate and adapt to the changing market. - Measure growth and success: A business plan allows the business to track its progress and compare actual results to the forecasts and assumptions in the plan. This allows the business to make adjustments and updates to ensure long-term success and growth.

Business plan content

• Executive Summary: This section provides a brief overview of the business and its goals, summarizing key information such as the target market, unique selling points, and financial projections. 2. Company Overview: This section provides a detailed description of the business, including its history, mission statement, legal structure, and ownership information. 3. Industry Analysis: This section analyzes the current state of the bean farming industry, including market trends, competitors, and potential challenges and opportunities. 4. Consumer Analysis: This section identifies and analyzes the target market for the business, including their needs, preferences, and buying behavior. 5. Competitor Analysis & Advantages: This section identifies and evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of key competitors in the bean farming industry, as well as the unique advantages that the business has over its competitors. 6. Marketing Strategies & Plan: This section outlines the marketing strategies and tactics that the business will use to reach its target market and promote its products. This may include advertising, branding, and social media strategies. 7. Plan of Action: This section outlines the specific steps and timelines for implementing the business plan, including key milestones and tasks. 8. Management Team: This section introduces the key members of the business's management team, including their backgrounds, roles, and responsibilities. 9. Financial Plan: This section includes detailed financial projections for the business, including income statements, cash flow statements, balance sheets, and break-even analysis. It should also include information on start-up costs, funding sources, and return on investment. 10. Appendix: This section includes any additional supporting documents, such as market research data, permits and licenses, and resumes of key team members. 11. Financial Forecast: As mentioned in the example, a financial forecast is an extensive document that includes detailed financial projections and accounting statements. This may be obtained from an accountant or financial consultant and should be included in the business plan for accurate and comprehensive financial planning.

Instructions for the business plan template

Instructions for the Business Plan Template: 1. Download the Beans Farm business plan template from our website. It is a word document that can be easily edited to fit your specific business needs. 2. The template contains all the necessary sections for a comprehensive business plan, including sections for executive summary, market analysis, marketing strategy, operations plan, and financial forecast. 3. The document is designed to guide you through the process of creating a business plan. Instructions are provided in red font throughout the document, and tips are included in blue font to help you complete each section effectively. 4. Start by filling out the basic information about your Beans Farm business in the cover page, including the name, location, and contact information. 5. Move on to the executive summary section, where you will provide a brief overview of your business, its mission, and objectives. 6. The market analysis section requires you to research and analyze the target market for your Beans Farm business. This includes identifying your target customers, competitors, and market trends. 7. The marketing strategy section will outline your plan for promoting and selling your products. This includes your pricing strategy, distribution channels, and promotional tactics. 8. In the operations plan section, you will describe the day-to-day operations of your Beans Farm business, including production processes, staffing, and equipment needs. 9. The financial forecast section is crucial for demonstrating the financial viability of your business. Use the template provided to create realistic projections for your income, expenses, and profits. 10. As you work through each section, make sure to save your progress regularly. You can also seek assistance from our consultants by setting up a complimentary 30-minute consultation if you need additional help with completing your business plan. 11. Once you have completed all the sections, review your business plan and make any necessary revisions. When you are satisfied with the final version, save it as a PDF and share it with potential investors, lenders, and other stakeholders. By following these instructions and using our business plan template, you can create a professional and comprehensive plan for your Beans Farm business. Good luck!

Ongoing business planning

Ongoing business planning is an essential aspect of running a successful Beans Farm business. It involves regularly reviewing and updating your business plan to ensure that it remains relevant and effective in achieving your goals. There are several reasons why ongoing business planning is important for a Beans Farm business. 1. Adapt to changing market conditions: The agricultural industry, including the production and sale of beans, is constantly evolving. Consumer preferences, market trends, and competition can all change over time. Ongoing business planning allows you to stay updated on these changes and adapt your business strategies accordingly. This can help you stay ahead of the competition and continue to meet the demands of the market. 2. Identify new opportunities: As your business grows, new opportunities may arise that were not present when you first started. Regularly reviewing and updating your business plan can help you identify these opportunities and take advantage of them. This could include expanding into new markets, developing new products, or implementing new marketing strategies. 3. Set and track goals: A business plan serves as a roadmap for your business, outlining your goals and how you plan to achieve them. However, these goals may change as your business grows and evolves. By updating your business plan, you can set new goals and track your progress towards them. This can help you stay focused and motivated, and ensure that your business continues to move in the right direction. 4. Secure funding: Whether you are looking to expand your business or invest in new equipment, ongoing business planning is essential for securing funding. Lenders and investors will want to see that you have a solid plan in place and that you are regularly reviewing and updating it as needed. This shows that you are committed to the success of your business and are prepared to adapt to changing circumstances. 5. Manage risks: Every business faces risks, and a Beans Farm business is no exception. Ongoing business planning allows you to identify potential risks and develop strategies to mitigate them. This could include diversifying your product offerings, implementing contingency plans, or seeking out new partnerships. By regularly reviewing and updating your business plan, you can ensure that your business is prepared for any challenges that may arise. In conclusion, ongoing business planning is crucial for the success of a Beans Farm business. It allows you to adapt to changing market conditions, identify new opportunities, set and track goals, secure funding, and manage risks. By making it a regular practice to review and update your business plan, you can ensure the continued growth and success of your business.

Bespoke business plan services

Get a Custom Business Plan for Your Beans Farm Business!

Our Expertise<br> <br> At XYZ Business Solutions, we have been helping entrepreneurs and business owners achieve their goals for over 10 years. Our team of experienced consultants have worked with a diverse range of industries and have helped countless businesses develop successful business plans. We understand the importance of having a solid business plan, not only for securing funding but also for guiding the growth and success of a business. That's why we offer a range of business plan templates that are tailored to different industries and business models. Our business plan templates are easy to use and customizable, making it suitable for all types of business owners, from first-time entrepreneurs to seasoned professionals. We also offer a free 30-minute consultation to answer any questions and provide guidance on using our templates effectively. Additionally, our team can provide high-value consulting services and extra resources such as investor lists and introductions to help businesses secure funding and grow. About Us<br> <br> XYZ Business Solutions is a reputable business consulting firm based in the United States. Our team has a wealth of experience working with startups and small businesses, and we have helped raise over $100 million in funding for our clients. Our business plan templates are the result of years of experience and expertise, and we are confident that they can help any business achieve its goals. We are dedicated to providing quality resources and guidance to entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes, and we are committed to helping them succeed in their business ventures.

Business plan template FAQ

Q: What is the purpose of a business plan for a beans farm? A: A business plan for a beans farm is a document that outlines the goals, strategies, and financial projections of the farm. It serves as a roadmap for the farm's success and helps secure funding from investors or lenders. Q: Who can use the Beans Farm business plan template? A: The Beans Farm business plan template is designed for anyone interested in starting or expanding a beans farm, including entrepreneurs, farmers, and agricultural professionals. Q: What information is included in the Beans Farm business plan template? A: The Beans Farm business plan template includes sections on executive summary, market analysis, target market, products and services, marketing and sales strategies, operations and management, and financial projections. Q: Do I need to have prior experience in farming to use this template? A: No, the template is designed to guide beginners as well as experienced farmers through the process of creating a business plan for a beans farm. Q: Is the template customizable? A: Yes, the template is fully customizable to fit your specific business needs. You can add or remove sections, change the colors and fonts, and input your own information. Q: How long does it take to complete a business plan using this template? A: The time it takes to complete a business plan using this template may vary depending on the individual's pace and the complexity of their business. However, on average, it takes 2-4 weeks to complete a business plan. Q: Can I use this template for other types of farms? A: While this template is specifically designed for beans farms, it can be easily adapted for other types of farms, such as vegetable farms, fruit farms, or livestock farms. Q: Is the template available in different languages? A: Currently, the template is only available in English. However, you can use online translation tools to translate it into other languages. Q: Can I get support if I have questions about the template? A: Yes, our customer support team is available to answer any questions you may have about the template or the business planning process. You can contact us through email or our website. Q: Is the Beans Farm business plan template a guarantee of success? A: No, a business plan is not a guarantee of success, but it is an essential tool for planning and managing your business. It helps identify potential challenges and opportunities, sets clear goals and strategies, and provides a roadmap for achieving success.

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How To Start A Lucrative Beans Farming Business In Nigeria and Africa: The Complete Guide

Beans farming is an important aspect of agriculture in Nigeria and Africa. Beans, also known as cowpeas, are a common staple food in many African countries, especially in Nigeria, where they are a major source of protein for millions of people. The demand for beans is high both domestically and internationally, making beans farming a profitable business venture.

In Nigeria, beans are cultivated in almost all states of the country, with the northern region being the major producer. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), beans farming accounts for about 3% of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and the country is the largest producer of cowpeas in the world, accounting for about 65% of the global production. Furthermore, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that Africa accounts for about 50% of the world’s total production of cowpeas.

The global demand for beans continues to rise, and this presents an export opportunity for Nigerian and African beans farmers. In 2020, the total export value of Nigerian beans was over $33 million, with Niger, Ghana, and Burkina Faso being the major export destinations. Furthermore, the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) provides a platform for beans farmers to access a wider market across the continent.

With the vast arable land in Nigeria and Africa, favorable weather conditions, and a growing population, beans farming presents a great opportunity for farmers and entrepreneurs to invest in and contribute to the growth of the agricultural sector.

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What Are Beans?

Beans are a type of legume that belong to the family Fabaceae. Scientifically known as Phaseolus vulgaris, they are a rich source of protein, dietary fiber, and complex carbohydrates. Beans are a staple crop in Nigeria and Africa, where they are grown extensively for food, animal feed, and export. They come in a variety of types, including black beans, navy beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans.

What Is Beans Farming In Nigeria and Africa About?

Beans farming involves the cultivation and harvesting of different varieties of beans for either commercial or subsistence purposes. It is an agricultural practice that requires proper planning, management, and execution to ensure a good yield.

Beans are an important source of protein, fiber, and essential nutrients and play a significant role in the diet of millions of people in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. This agricultural activity is becoming increasingly popular as a source of income and food security for rural and urban farmers.

The process of beans farming includes land preparation, planting, weeding, pest and disease control, and harvesting. It is a versatile and adaptable farming activity that can be carried out in different agro-ecological zones across Nigeria and Africa.

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Benefits of Beans Farming In Nigeria  and Africa

• High Nutritional Value: Beans are rich in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, making it an excellent food for human consumption.
• Economic Value: Beans farming is a profitable venture, as it is a highly demanded commodity in both the local and international market.
• Food Security: Beans farming contributes to food security, as it provides a source of protein for both human and animal consumption.
• Environmental Benefits: Beans are legumes, and they have the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, thereby reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers and promoting soil health.
• Employment Opportunities: Beans farming provides employment opportunities for both skilled and unskilled laborers, thereby reducing the rate of unemployment in the country.
• Crop Rotation: Beans farming can be used as a form of crop rotation, thereby reducing soil erosion and promoting soil fertility.
• Health Benefits: Beans contain antioxidants that help to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and diabetes.
• Drought Tolerance: Beans have the ability to tolerate drought, making it a suitable crop for regions with low rainfall.
• Improved Livelihood: Beans farming can improve the livelihood of farmers, as it provides a source of income and can help to reduce poverty in rural areas.
• Improved Agricultural Practices: Beans farming requires good agricultural practices such as proper soil preparation, good seed selection, and effective pest and disease management, thereby promoting the adoption of sustainable agriculture.

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Health Benefits of Beans

• Heart Health: Beans are low in saturated fat and high in fiber, making them a great addition to a heart-healthy diet. The soluble fiber in beans helps to lower cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease.
• Digestive Health: Beans are a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, which can help promote healthy digestion and prevent constipation.
• Blood Sugar Control: The low glycemic index of beans makes them an excellent food choice for those looking to regulate their blood sugar levels. The high fiber content also slows down the absorption of glucose, which can help prevent spikes in blood sugar levels.
• Weight Management: Beans are a low-calorie, high-fiber food that can help you feel full and satisfied, making them an excellent food choice for weight management.
• Improved Brain Function: The vitamin B6 in beans helps to improve brain function and cognitive abilities, while the iron in beans helps to promote healthy blood flow to the brain.
• Boosts Immunity: Beans are a rich source of antioxidants and phytonutrients that help to boost the immune system and protect the body from disease and infection.
• Reduced Risk of Cancer: The high fiber content of beans can help to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, while the phytochemicals in beans have been shown to have anti-cancer properties.
• Eye Health: The high levels of vitamin A in beans are essential for maintaining healthy eyesight and preventing age-related macular degeneration.
• Strong Bones: The high levels of calcium and magnesium in beans help to promote strong bones and prevent osteoporosis.
• Reduced Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: The low glycemic index of beans, combined with their high fiber content, helps to regulate blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
• Improved Mood: The amino acid tryptophan in beans helps to regulate mood and promote feelings of well-being.
• Improved Skin Health: The vitamin C and zinc in beans help to promote healthy skin and prevent skin damage from the sun and other environmental factors.
• Reduced Inflammation: The antioxidants and phytonutrients in beans have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help to reduce inflammation in the body and prevent chronic diseases.
• Improved Sleep: The magnesium and tryptophan in beans help to promote relaxation and improve sleep quality.
• Lowered Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: The soluble fiber in beans helps to reduce cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and prevent the development of cardiovascular disease.

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Business opportunities in beans farming in nigeria and africa.

• Export: Beans farming presents an opportunity for export. Nigeria is one of the largest producers of beans in the world and exporting can generate foreign exchange.
• Retail: Retail is one of the primary business opportunities in beans farming. The beans can be sold directly to consumers in markets or through online platforms.
• Wholesale: Another business opportunity in beans farming is the sale of beans to wholesalers, who will then distribute to retailers.
• Processing: The beans can be processed into other products such as flour, canned beans, and bean snacks, presenting an opportunity for processing businesses.
• Distribution: The distribution of beans and bean products from the farms to the markets and other outlets is another business opportunity.
• Consultancy: Experienced beans farmers can offer consulting services to new or struggling farmers, providing them with guidance on how to increase yields and improve the quality of their beans.
• Seed sales: Beans farmers can sell high-quality bean seeds to other farmers who want to start beans farming or improve their yield.
• Transportation: Transportation is an important part of beans farming, as it is necessary to move the beans from the farm to the markets. Entrepreneurs can start a transportation business that caters to the needs of beans farmers.
• Fertilizer sales: Farmers need fertilizers to improve the quality and yield of their crops. Entrepreneurs can start a business selling fertilizers to beans farmers.
• Technology: Technology plays a crucial role in modern agriculture. Entrepreneurs can start a business providing technological solutions such as mobile apps, farm management software, and drones to beans farmers, making their work easier and more efficient.

See Also:   How To Start A Lucrative Cucumber Farming Business In Nigeria And Africa: The Complete Guide

Facts About Beans Farming In Nigeria and Africa

• Beans are a significant source of protein and other nutrients for millions of people in Nigeria and Africa.
• Nigeria is the largest producer of beans in Africa and the third-largest producer in the world after India and Brazil.
• The demand for beans and other legumes is growing globally, driven by increasing health consciousness and changing food habits.
• Beans farming is a source of income for many farmers in Nigeria and Africa, especially smallholder farmers.
• Beans can be grown in different parts of Nigeria and Africa, with the major producing states in Nigeria being Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, and Bauchi.
• Beans can be intercropped with other crops such as maize, cassava, and yams, which can enhance the productivity of the farm.
• There are different varieties of beans grown in Nigeria and Africa, including black-eyed beans, white beans, brown beans, and others.
• Beans farming can be done using different methods, including intercropping, monocropping, and conservation agriculture.
• The use of improved seed varieties, fertilizer, and other farm inputs can increase the yield and quality of beans produced.
• Beans can be processed into different products such as bean flour, bean cake, and others, which can be sold for a higher value.
• Beans are used in different local dishes in Nigeria and Africa, such as moimoi, akara, and others.
• Beans farming can help to improve soil health by fixing nitrogen in the soil, which can enhance the productivity of the farm.
• Beans are a climate-resilient crop, as they can tolerate drought and other adverse weather conditions.
• Beans farming can contribute to reducing poverty and improving food security in Nigeria and Africa, especially in rural areas.
• The export market for beans and other legumes is growing, with Nigeria and Africa having the potential to tap into this market and earn foreign exchange.

See Also:   How To Start A Lucrative Vegetable Farming Business In Nigeria Or Africa: The Complete Guide

Types Of Beans Farming Businesses In Nigeria and Africa

Beans farming can be done in various ways and there are different types of businesses that can be established around it in Nigeria and Africa. Here are some of the types of beans farming businesses:

• Commercial beans farming: This involves large scale production of beans for sale in the market.
• Small scale beans farming: This is the production of beans on a small scale, usually for subsistence or local markets.
• Contract farming: In this type of beans farming, farmers enter into agreements with processors or exporters to supply beans based on certain conditions.
• Organic beans farming: This is the production of beans without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides.
• Value-added beans products: This type of business involves processing beans into other products like flour, snacks, or beverages.
• Bean seed production: This involves producing high-quality beans seeds for planting purposes.
• Research and development: This involves carrying out research on beans production and developing new varieties or techniques to improve yields.
• Beans storage and distribution: This type of business involves the storage, packaging, and distribution of beans to local or international markets.
• Beans export: This involves exporting beans to other countries where there is a high demand for them.
• Beans processing: This involves processing beans into various forms, such as canned beans, baked beans, and other products.

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Types Of Beans Used For Beans Farming In Nigeria and Africa

Beans farming in Nigeria and Africa has a wide range of bean types that can be cultivated, and each type has its unique features and benefits. Here are some common types of beans used for beans farming in Nigeria and Africa:

• Cowpea: Also known as black-eyed pea, it is one of the most widely cultivated beans in Nigeria and Africa. Cowpea is a valuable crop because it is drought-tolerant and can grow in various soil types.
• Soybean: Soybean is a legume that is rich in protein, and it is used for making soy milk, tofu, and other products. It is also used as a source of protein in animal feed.
• Bambara nut: Bambara nut is a type of bean that is mostly grown in West Africa. It is a good source of protein and can be used in various dishes.
• Lima bean: Lima beans are an excellent source of protein and can be used in soups, stews, and salads.
• Kidney bean: Kidney beans are known for their red color and kidney shape. They are used in various dishes and are a good source of protein.
• Mung bean: Mung beans are a type of legume that is high in protein and is used in various Asian dishes.
• Pinto bean: Pinto beans are a good source of protein and are commonly used in Mexican cuisine.
• Navy bean: Navy beans are small, white beans that are commonly used in baked beans and soups.
• Lentils: Lentils are a type of legume that are high in protein and can be used in soups, stews, and salads.
• Black bean: Black beans are commonly used in Latin American cuisine and are a good source of protein.

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The Planting & Harvesting Seasons For Beans In Nigeria and Africa

The planting season for beans in Nigeria and Africa typically starts from April to June during the rainy season. Beans thrive in moist soil and the ideal temperature range for growth is between 18°C and 30°C.

The harvesting period for beans in Nigeria and Africa usually starts from September to November depending on the variety of beans planted. The beans pods are usually harvested when they have matured and the plants have started to dry up.

How To Start Beans Farming In Nigeria and Africa: Step-By-Step Guide

Beans farming is a lucrative agricultural business in Nigeria and Africa. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to start beans farming in Nigeria and Africa:

• Conduct Market Research: The first step in starting any business is to conduct market research. Research on the demand for beans, the types of beans that are in demand, the competition, the local and international market, and the price of beans.
• Develop a Business Plan: Develop a business plan that outlines your production goals, target market, pricing, marketing and sales strategy, and financial projections.
• Acquire Farmland: Acquire suitable farmland with suitable soil and climate conditions for beans cultivation. The land should be cleared, plowed, and prepared for planting.
• Seed selection: Select high-quality seeds that are disease-free and of good genetic stock. Choose the appropriate bean variety that suits the climate and soil type in your region.
• Planting: Plant beans at the beginning of the rainy season when the soil is moist. Make holes about 5 cm deep and space them about 15-20 cm apart. Drop one or two seeds per hole and cover with soil.
• Weeding: Remove weeds from the field regularly to allow the beans to grow freely.
• Fertilization: Apply organic or inorganic fertilizers to the field before planting to improve soil fertility.
• Processing: Remove the outer pods from the beans, and sun-dry or roast them to preserve them for storage and sale.
• Soil Management: Ensure that the soil is properly managed through practices like irrigation, fertilization, and weed control.
• Pest and Disease Control: Implement pest and disease control measures, including the use of organic and chemical solutions.
• Harvesting: Beans mature after 90-120 days, depending on the variety. Check the pods for maturity and pick them when the pods have turned brown and crispy. Store the harvested beans in a cool, dry place.
• Storage: Store the harvested beans in a dry and cool place to prevent spoilage.
• Marketing and Sales: Develop a marketing and sales strategy that targets local and international markets, such as local markets, food processing companies, and exporting opportunities.

Starting a beans farming business can be very profitable if the necessary steps are taken to ensure success.

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How To Process & Package Beans In Nigeria or Africa

Processing and packaging beans is an important aspect of the bean farming industry in Nigeria and Africa. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to process and package beans along with the equipment needed:

• Sorting: The first step in processing beans is to sort them to remove any foreign matter such as stones, sticks, and other debris. This can be done manually or by using a mechanical sorter.
• Cleaning: After sorting, the beans are thoroughly cleaned to remove any dirt and dust. This is usually done using a blower or air cleaner.
• Dehulling: Dehulling is the process of removing the outer layer of the beans. This is usually done using a mechanical dehuller, which can be adjusted to remove the outer layer to varying degrees.
• Polishing: After dehulling, the beans are polished to give them a shiny appearance. This can be done using a bean polisher.
• Grading: The beans are then graded based on their size, shape, and color. This is important for quality control and helps to ensure consistency in the final product.
• Packaging: Finally, the beans are packaged in bags or other containers for distribution and sale. This is typically done using a bagging machine or other packaging equipment.

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Types Of Equipment Used To Produce & Package Beans In Nigeria or Africa

• Cleaning machine: This is used to remove impurities such as stones, sticks, and dirt from the beans. The cleaning machine has different compartments and uses sieves of different sizes to separate the beans from other unwanted materials.
• Dehuller: The dehuller is used to remove the outer coat of the beans. The machine uses friction to remove the hull from the beans.
• Gravity table: This machine uses the principle of gravity to separate the beans based on their density. It separates the heavier and more mature beans from the lighter and immature ones.
• Polisher: This machine is used to give the beans a polished appearance. It removes any remaining outer layer and gives the beans a smooth surface.
• Grading machine: This machine is used to separate the beans according to their size. The machine has different compartments with different size openings to grade the beans.
• Packaging machine: This machine is used to package the beans in different sizes and quantities. It can be manual or automatic and can be adjusted to suit the desired quantity of beans to be packaged.
• Weighing scale: This equipment is used to weigh the beans before packaging to ensure that the desired quantity is achieved.
• Sealing machine: This machine is used to seal the packaging bags after filling them with beans. It can be a manual or automatic sealing machine.

These are some of the equipment used to process and package beans in Nigeria and Africa. The specific equipment used may vary depending on the scale of production and the level of automation.

Target Market For The Beans Farming Business In Nigeria or Africa

• Domestic market: The domestic market for beans in Nigeria and Africa is significant, as beans are a staple food in many households. The demand for beans is constant throughout the year, making it a lucrative market for farmers.
• Export market: The export market for beans in Nigeria and Africa is also growing. Beans are exported to other countries in West Africa, Europe, and Asia. The Nigerian government has made efforts to increase bean production to meet the growing demand for exports.
• Food processing industry: Beans are used in the production of various food products such as canned beans, bean flour, and bean cakes. The food processing industry in Nigeria and Africa is growing, creating a market for beans farmers.
• Animal feed industry: Beans are also used in the animal feed industry as a source of protein for livestock. The demand for animal feed is high in Nigeria and Africa, providing another market for beans farmers.
• Retail markets: Retail markets such as supermarkets and grocery stores also provide a market for beans farmers. These markets provide an opportunity for farmers to sell their beans directly to consumers, cutting out the middlemen.

See Also:  How To Start A Lucrative Import/Export Business In Nigeria and Africa: The Complete Guide

How To Sell or Market Beans Products In Nigeria or Africa

• Direct sales to consumers: You can sell your beans directly to consumers at local markets or through a roadside stand.
• Wholesalers: You can sell your beans to wholesalers who will distribute them to other retailers.
• Export: You can export your beans to other countries where there is a demand for them.
• Online marketplaces: You can sell your beans on online marketplaces like Jumia and Konga.
• Supermarkets: You can sell your beans to supermarkets that specialize in selling agricultural products.
• Processing: You can process your beans into products like flour, which can be sold to bakeries and other food manufacturers.
• Cooperatives: You can join a cooperative and sell your beans through the cooperative’s marketing channels.
• Restaurant and food service providers: You can sell your beans to restaurants and other food service providers that use beans as ingredients in their dishes.
• Food processing companies: You can sell your beans to food processing companies that make products like canned beans.
• Direct marketing: You can use social media, advertising, and other marketing methods to directly reach consumers and promote your beans.

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Challenges Of Beans Farming In Nigeria and Africa

Beans farming in Nigeria and Africa comes with a variety of challenges. Here are 15 of them:

• Pests and diseases: Beans plants are susceptible to pests and diseases, which can cause significant damage to the crop if not controlled effectively.
• Lack of quality seeds: The quality of the seed used for planting is crucial to the success of the crop, and the availability of high-quality seeds can be limited.
• Lack of irrigation: In areas with insufficient rainfall, beans farming requires irrigation, and the lack of access to water can make it challenging to grow the crop.
• Soil erosion: Beans farming is often done on hilly or sloping terrain, which makes it vulnerable to soil erosion.
• Poor soil fertility: Beans require a lot of nutrients to grow, and soil with low fertility can affect the yield and quality of the crop.
• Inadequate storage facilities: The lack of adequate storage facilities can result in spoilage and loss of the harvested crop.
• Lack of access to credit: Farmers may not have access to credit to finance their beans farming activities, making it challenging to purchase inputs, equipment, and hire labor.
• High cost of inputs: The cost of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides can be high, making it difficult for farmers to afford them.
• Unpredictable weather: Beans farming is highly dependent on weather conditions, and unpredictable weather patterns can result in crop failure.
• Limited market access: Farmers may have difficulty accessing markets to sell their beans, which can result in low prices and income.
• Low prices: Prices for beans can be low due to competition from imports and the lack of value addition in the domestic market.
• Poor transportation infrastructure: Poor transportation infrastructure can make it challenging to transport beans from rural areas to markets.
• Lack of access to information: Many farmers lack access to information on best farming practices, new technologies, and market information.
• Land tenure issues: Land tenure issues, such as unclear ownership and disputes, can make it challenging for farmers to invest in beans farming.
• Climate change: Climate change can affect bean farming by altering rainfall patterns, increasing temperatures, and exacerbating soil erosion.

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To Sum It Up

In conclusion, Beans farming in Nigeria and Africa is a promising business opportunity with a wide range of benefits and opportunities for entrepreneurs. It is a major source of food and income for smallholder farmers and provides opportunities for large-scale commercial farming as well. Some of the benefits of beans farming include high yield potential, good nutrition, and a wide range of market opportunities.

There are several types of beans farming businesses, including commercial farming, subsistence farming, and value-added processing. Different types of beans are also grown and marketed, including cowpea, soybean, and kidney beans.

To start beans farming, entrepreneurs need to identify the best varieties, prepare the land, plant the seeds, and manage pests and diseases. There are also several marketing strategies that can be used to sell beans farming products, including direct sales, cooperative marketing, and online marketing.

However, beans farming in Nigeria and Africa faces several challenges, including limited access to finance, inadequate infrastructure, and unpredictable weather patterns. Addressing these challenges requires the involvement of stakeholders across the value chain, including farmers, policymakers, and the private sector.

Overall, with the right knowledge, skills, and support, beans farming in Nigeria and Africa can be a profitable and sustainable business opportunity for entrepreneurs looking to contribute to food security and economic development in the region.

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Professional Business Plan Writing Service Writing a bank and investor ready professional BEANS farming business plan can be challenging. If you need a professional and affordable business plan service, STARTUPTIPSDAILY’S MBA STANDARD PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS PLAN WRITING SERVICE  is perfect for your business. All you have to do is request an understanding of your proposed business model, and you’d have a professional MBA standard business plan ready for you in anywhere from 5 to 14 days.  YOU CAN CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED WITH USING STARTUPTIPSDAILY’S PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS PLAN WRITING SERVICE TO CREATE THE PERFECT BUSINESS PLAN THAT’D GET ACCEPTED ANYWHERE.

What are your thoughts on how to start rabbit farming in Nigeria, Africa, or any other part of the world? Let me know by leaving a comment below.

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15 Comments

Great piece thanks for sharing..

Thank you for reading, Cajiri.

My silent business coach, i always love your mindset, thank you for free knowledge once more.

Thank you for always reading, Ben.

Nice piece.will discuss it with my staff.has been looking what plant to grow in my 400 by 400 plot of land.can we plant corn or yam in same farm at the same time?

very nice read. Didn’t think beans is that lucrative. Thanks for this info bro.

I plan to start beans cultivation. What part of the year can I plant and approximately what will be the yield per hectare?

Thank you very kindly for this piece of information. I really care to know the time of the year it’s advisable to plant beans. After harvest does it require any form of milling machine to remove the chaff or its done manual with hands. Thank you as I await your utmost response.

It only requires rain to come up, ones that is done, excess rainfall can hinder or aberrate it’s growth, therefore lead to lower or no yield. The best time during Middle of August when there is little rainfall or when rainfall is at it last episode, and March when they might be just little rainfall to later but none.

How many plots of land can some one use to start Bean farming am very in interested even looking for land presently your reply will be highly appreciated thanks

You can start anywhere from a plot.

I like your great ideas and i would like to start this in Zambia, your plans are so effective

Thank you for reading, Mwansa.

Merci pour l’article

Comments are closed.

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• Business plans

Farm Business Plan

Used 5,069 times

Farm Business Plan gives an overview of the company, including corporation history, owner backgrounds, creations and more. Use this template to quickly develop your farm company plan.

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Farm Business Plan Template

Prepared by:

​ [Sender.FirstName] [Sender.LastName] ​

​ [Sender.Title] ​

​ [Sender.Phone] ​

​ [Sender.Email] ​

Executive Summary

​ [Sender.Company] is owned and operated by [Sender.FirstName] [Sender.LastName] .

​ [Sender.Company] produces and sells (product types, e.g., produce, pastured animals, herbs, etc.), and we also provide on-farm services including (service types, e.g., apple picking, events, produce stand, etc.).

The target audience for [Sender.Company] 's product will be local consumers and businesses whom we will target directly. To market to this audience, we plan to take advantage of public picking events, farmers' markets, and a roadside farm stand.

Future of the Farm

​ [Sender.Company] plans to turn our XX acres of farmland into a sustainable source of crops, pastured animals, and pollinators. We plan to use regenerative farming practices as much as possible and understand what management techniques work best for our acreage.

Additionally, we will have a large greenhouse and use season extension techniques to get more value out of our farmland.

To build a locally well-known brand and eventually expand our presence across the state.

To sell enough of our product to generate a positive cash flow, support the farm owners and staff, and pay back capital plus 15% interest to our investors.

To preserve and enhance our farmland so that it remains sustainable and we can continue to share the fruits of the land with others.

Follow a thorough 3-year business plan and reassess every year to ensure we remain on track.

Seek funding from our network of contacts and outside funders for start-up costs.

Execute a creative marketing plan that introduces our brand to our target market.

Company Description

Business address and contact.

​ [Sender.StreetAddress] , [Sender.City] , [Sender.State] [Sender.PostalCode] ​

​ [Sender.FirstName] [Sender.LastName] : [Sender.Phone] , [Sender.Email] ​

Principal Members

(Owner.FirstName) (Owner.LastName)

Qualifications/Experience

(number) years of experience as a farm hand at (farm name), plus an additional 5 years of experience as the farm manager

(Education)

(Operator.FirstName) (Operator.LastName)

(Experience)

Legal Structure

​ [Sender.Company] is a sole proprietorship.

Company Details

Our property is zoned for farm use, and we plan to use the land as follows:

X acres for pastured animals

X acres for produce

X acres for agritourism activities and events

Farm Assets

Greenhouse and propagation supplies

Farm stand (planned for 20XX)

Market Research

The demand for locally raised animals and grown produce is climbing at a rate of XX% per year and is expected to reach a total value of $XX billion by 20XX.

Consumer demand for free-range, pasture-raised animals is evidenced by farms like (name competitors) which have grown into valuations of (approximate company values) , respectively.

Regulations

​ [Sender.Company] is a licensed business in the State of [Sender.State] as of the year 20XX. We are in the process of applying for all of the necessary permits for constructing the farm stand, expanding the barn, and hosting on-site visitors to the farm.

Service Line

Product/service.

Services Include:

Pasture-raised animals

Produce cultivation

Public apple picking

Public hay maze

Special event packages

Marketing & Sales

Customer communications.

​ [Sender.Company] will communicate with its customers by:

Interacting with customers in-person via farmers markets, the farm stand, and through the leveraging of networking events.

Building an active social media presence on Instagram and TikTok.

Advertising agritourism activities like apple picking, hay mazes, farm trails, and other events.

Creating SEO-friendly blog posts on the company website to increase online presence.

Establishing listings with the local tourism board and activity guides.

Sales Strategy

​ [Sender.Company] 's product will be sold primarily in the (region) . The farm is located on a road with extensive car traffic, so we plan to build a farm stand on the property to capture attention and drive sales.

We also plan to build a social media presence and leverage local advertising to drive awareness of our brand. We will also attend farmers' markets within the region to meet customers face-to-face and build relationships.

Five-year plan

Year One: 20XX

Create a legal business entity

Apply for necessary licenses and permits.

Finalize farm layout.

Procure additional equipment.

Establish social media profiles.

Build a small farm stand.

Attend farmer's markets.

Year Two: 20XX

(List goals for year two)

Year Three: 20XX

Year Four: 20XX

Year Five: 20XX

​ [Recipient.FirstName] [Recipient.LastName] ​

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Dry Bean Production Guide

Dry bean is a food crop that requires the producers to provide special cultural management and attention. Proper management is essential from cultivar selection, field selection and planting through harvest, plus marketing for maximum profitability. This guide helps producers meet those production challenges.

Greg Endres, Cropping Systems Specialist, NDSU Extension; Ellen Crawford, NDSU Agriculture Communication; Dave Franzen, Soil Specialist, NDSU Extension; Kenneth Hellevang, Agricultural Engineer, NDSU Extension; Joe Ikley, Weed Specialist, NDSU Extension; Hans Kandel, Agronomist, NDSU Extension; Janet Knodel, Entomologist, NDSU Extension; John Nowatzki, Agricultural Machine Systems Specialist, NDSU Extension; Sam Markell, Plant Pathologist, NDSU Extension; Frayne Olson, Crops Economist, NDSU Extension; Juan Osorno, Dry Bean Breeder, NDSU; Julie Pasche, Plant Pathologist, NDSU Department of Plant Pathology; Tom Scherer, Agricultural Engineer, NDSU Extension; Deb Tanner, NDSU Agriculture Communication; Michael Wunsch, Plant Pathologist, Carrington Research Extension Center; Guiping Yan, NDSU Nematologist, Department of Plant Pathology; Contributors to previous version of the publication Duane Berglund, Emeritus Agronomist, NDSU Extension; Richard Zollinger, Emeritus Weed Scientist, NDSU Extension

Contact your county NDSU Extension office to request a printed copy. NDSU staff can order copies online (login required).

Table of Contents

Introduction.

Juan Osorno,  NDSU Dry Bean Breeder/Geneticist

Greg Endres,  NDSU Extension Cropping Systems Specialist

Hans Kandel,  NDSU Extension Agronomist

Known as a “nutritional powerhouse,” dry beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris L .) are a human food high in protein, phosphorus, zinc, iron, vitamin B1 and fiber, among many other nutritional traits. Dry beans are an important staple food in many areas of the world, especially in Central and South America, and Africa.

They are the most important legume worldwide for human consumption. Different cultures have developed a multitude of end products made with dry bean.

Dry bean is a major cash crop in the Northarvest Bean Growers Association growing region of North Dakota and Minnesota and has been grown on a large scale since the 1970s. The region is the largest producer of dry beans in the U.S. Most of the production is in the eastern half of North Dakota, with the major production area in the northeastern quadrant.

Pinto is the most important market class in North Dakota, based on acreage and value, followed by navy and black bean. These three market classes account for approximately 95% of the total acres of production. Kidney, pink, small red, cranberry and others are grown on limited acres.

Dry beans are a food crop that requires the producers to provide special cultural management and attention. Proper management is essential from cultivar selection, field selection and planting through harvest, plus marketing for maximum profitability as a human food product. We recommend obtaining a marketing contract.

Cultivar Selection

Information about dry bean cultivar performance can be accessed on the web at  www.ag.ndsu.edu/varietytrials/dry-bean . The site includes variety trial data from NDSU Research Extension Centers, and other North Dakota and Minnesota research locations.

When selecting a high-yielding and good-quality cultivar, use data that summarize several years and locations. Choose a high-quality cultivar that, on average, performs the best at multiple locations near your farm during several years. Tables 1 through 4 provide information about selected bean cultivars.

Dry Bean Types and Development Stages

Two basic plant growth habits are found in dry edible bean: determinate (bush) or indeterminate (vining or trailing). Cultivars may be classified according to plant growth habits (Tables 1 to 4). For example, navy beans may be the bush or vining type.

With the determinate habit, stem elongation ceases when the terminal flower racemes of the main stem or lateral branches have developed. With the indeterminate habit, flowering and pod filling will continue simultaneously or alternately as long as temperature and moisture availability permits growth to occur. The growth of the plant will terminate after a killing frost.

In addition to the distinction between determinate and indeterminate plant habits, four plant growth types have been identified. These are: Type I – determinate bush; Type II – indeterminate upright short vine, narrow plant profile, three to four branches; Type III – indeterminate, prostrate vine; Type IV – indeterminate with strong climbing tendencies requiring trellis systems for optimal production. Most cultivars in the U.S. belong to the first three plant growth types. These refined growth types have become useful in the identification and classification of newer upright bean cultivars.

The development of new cultivars that combine upright architecture (Type II) and competitive yields have allowed many growers to switch their harvest operation from conventional to direct harvest (two- or three-step vs. one-step operation). This allows for faster harvest, along with a reduction in time, equipment and labor. In addition, it allows for a better harvest timing among different crops, which is crucial in this region.

About 50% of the growers direct combine all their fields and 20% of the growers do not direct combine at all. In other cases, farmers direct combine some and conventionally harvest the remaining of their bean acres  (“2018 Dry Bean Grower Survey,” NDSU publication E1902) .

However, seed losses during harvest in many cases may be higher with direct harvest because of pods located close to the ground and increased shattering. Fifty-five percent of the growers report yield losses between 1% and 5%, and 33% of the growers report losses of 6% to 10%. This compares with 80% of the growers reporting 1% to 5% yield loss with conventional harvest methods.

These direct-combine seed losses can be minimized by choosing the appropriate cultivar and having the optimal setup in the harvest equipment. In addition, the environmental conditions at the time of harvest (soil conditions, plant and seed moisture and temperature, among others) are also important factors that influence the amount of seed losses.

Plant development for determinate and indeterminate plant types has been divided into vegetative (V) and reproductive (R) stages, as indicated in Table 5. Vegetative stages are determined by counting the number of trifoliolate leaves (V1 to Vn) on the main stem beginning above the unifoliolate leaf. Reproductive stages are described with pod and seed characters in addition to nodes. The first pod developing on the plant is described and followed to maturity.

At the time of first flower (reproductive stage indicated by R), secondary branching begins in the axis of lower nodes, which will produce secondary groups of flowers and pods. Following the main stem, which is readily discernible on determinate and indeterminate plants, is important. A node is counted when the edges of the leaflets no longer touch.

A bean plant may have the same number of nodes at two locations but differ in height because of the stem length between nodes. The average days from planting to reach a certain growth stage and days between stages are very broad and will vary from year to year and cultivar to cultivar. Flower color varies among cultivars. Beans normally are self-pollinated, with less than 1% natural out-crossing.

Immature pods of most cultivars are green, turning yellow and then light brown or tan as they mature. An exception is black beans, in which some cultivars may have light purple pods. Pods of the navy beans are more cylindrical, compared with the longer, wider and more flattened pod typical of the pintos.

The pods of dry beans are very fibrous, compared with the pods of snap beans. A satisfactory dry edible bean cultivar bears its pods without touching the soil, ripens uniformly and does not shatter appreciably at maturity.

1 - Adapted from: Growth stages according to Marshall J. Lebaron (University of Idaho, College of Agriculture, Current Information Series No. 228).

2 - Approximate number of days. This will vary from season to season, cultivar to cultivar and location.

Figure 1. Plant description.

Plant Description diagram

Seed size (Table 6) and established plant populations (Table 7) vary significantly among dry bean market classes. Pinto bean cultivars range from 1,200 to 1,600 seeds per pound. Pinto bean planting rates are recommended to establish early season plant populations of 70,000 to 80,000 plants per acre.

In some instances, reduced yields were observed when pinto plant populations were below the recommended density. For example, averaged across two years at Carrington, yield with plant populations at 58,000 plants per acre was 1,580 pounds per acre, compared with 75,000 plants per acre yielding 1,730 pounds per acre.

Seed size (Table 6) and established plant populations (Table 7) vary significantly among specialty dry bean market classes.

The traditional recommendation by NDSU for black and navy bean plant density has been 90,000 plants per acre. Recent research with black beans in eastern North Dakota averaged across eight site-years has indicated only a 3% seed yield increase with 140,000 plants per acre, compared with 100,000 plants per acre.

Navy bean seed yield with 28-inch row spacing had similar yield among plant populations of 93,000, 117,000 and 140,000 plants per acre in a three site-year NDSU study. However, in the same study comparing 14-, 21- and 28-inch rows, the highest navy seed yield was obtained with plant populations greater than 115,000 plants per acre in 14-inch rows.

To obtain desired plant populations, overseed live seed by at least 10% to compensate for losses during emergence. Planting rates should be adjusted for low-germination seed lots or cool, wet planting conditions.

Recommended dry bean planting depth is 1½ to 2½ inches. Growers should test their planter on a hard surface and in the field at normal planting speeds to ensure proper seeding rate and depth.

Row Spacing

According to the NDSU Extension and Northarvest Bean Growers Association grower survey (2018), most pinto, black and navy beans are grown in 21- to 30-inch rows. Also, the majority of black and navy beans are grown in 22-inch rows.

NDSU studies with pinto beans indicate narrower planted rows provide a yield advantage in dryland and irrigated production (Table 8). Also, an NDSU three site-year study with navy bean indicated as rows narrowed from 28 inches to 14 inches, seed yield increased.

However, the same study with black beans indicated no yield difference among 14-, 21- and 28-inch rows. Additional information on black and navy bean row spacing and plant population is available in the NDSU Extension  “Black and Navy Bean Response to Row Spacing and Plant Population in Eastern North Dakota” (A1921) .

Growing dry beans in narrow rows poses several risks. The more closed canopy increases the potential for disease such as white mold. Narrow rows do not allow between-row cultivation. Also, challenges increase with direct harvest of narrow rows, including increased potential for seed loss.

Soil, Tillage Systems and Requirements for Plant Establishment

Dry beans are adapted to a wide range of soils. Dry beans are not sensitive to soil type as long as the soil is reasonably fertile, well-drained and free of conditions that interfere with germination and plant emergence, such as salinity.

Growing the crop on a well-drained soil is essential because beans are extremely sensitive to standing water or waterlogged conditions. Tile drainage will reduce saturated conditions in the root zone, which will improve plant development.

The majority of dry bean acres are tilled conventionally; however, dry beans can be grown successfully in conservation tillage systems. For example, five site-years of research at Carrington indicate similar seed yield with strip tillage (2,590 pounds per acre), compared with yield with conventional tillage (2,620 pounds per acre).

Winter rye can be used as a cover crop during the prior fall and spring before dry bean plant establishment for benefits including reduction of soil erosion, soil water management, weed suppression and long-term improvement in soil productivity. Termination timing of rye is based on bean planting date and benefits of extending rye growth, while maintaining adequate soil moisture for bean seed yield. A three-year study at Carrington indicates that with marginal spring soil moisture, rye needs to be terminated two to four weeks before bean planting to maintain yield similar to a conventional bean production system.

Dry bean is a warm-season crop. The optimum average growing temperature is 65 to 75 F but dry bean is adapted to a fairly wide range of temperatures. Dry bean is not tolerant to frost or prolonged exposure to near-freezing temperatures at any stage of plant growth.

Dry beans should be planted when soil temperatures are consistently in the mid 60s F. Typical planting dates in North Dakota generally range from the last 10 days in May to the first 10 days in June. Six site-years of planting date research conducted by NDSU with pinto, black and navy beans indicated no yield advantage with early planting  (“Impact of Planting Dates on Dry Edible Bean”, NDSU Extension publication A1806) .

Hail Damage

The amount of crop damage caused by hail will depend on the intensity, size of hail stones and duration, as well as plant type and stage of development. Determinate (Type I) cultivars are likely to suffer greater losses than the indeterminate (Types II and III) cultivars because Types II and III can recover and compensate to a greater degree than can Type I.

Severe hail damage can delay plant maturity. The earlier the stage of development at which the injury occurs, the greater the time available for recovery, resulting in less yield reduction. Hail will not directly affect seed quality unless a strike occurs on the pod.

Crop Rotation and Disease Management

Sam Markell , NDSU Extension Plant Pathologist

Hans Kandel , NDSU Extension Agronomist

Many of the pathogens causing disease on beans are soil-borne and residue-borne. A three-year crop rotation helps reduce inoculum of most pathogens, and a four-year rotation may be recommended if white mold is severe in a field.

However, crop rotation is not a “cure-all” because many pathogens produce spores that are air-borne and may blow in from nearby fields. Field-to-field spore dispersal (and in some cases much greater distances) is most notable of the pathogens that cause white mold and rust. Consequently, field selection is also important; if possible, avoid planting next to a field that was infected severely with rust last year.

Crop rotation may be an effective management tool for disease management. In some cases, a disease such as rust may infect only dry beans, so rotation to any other crop is effective. In other cases, a disease, such as soybean cyst nematode (SCN), may occur on just one other crop.

In the situation of SCN, soybeans and dry beans are susceptible, and rotation to any other crop is effective. However, a pathogen may have an extremely wide host range, such as with Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, which causes white mold on many broadleaf crops and many broadleaf weeds.

The three most important diseases to consider when selecting a crop rotation are white mold, SCN and Rhizoctonia root rot.

Dry bean, sunflower, canola and lentil are among the most susceptible crops to white mold. White mold also attacks soybean, safflower, mustard, alfalfa, field peas and potatoes. Flax and buckwheat are considered only marginally susceptible.

Regardless of which plant/crop is infected with  Sclerotinia , the pathogen produces the same survival structures, called a sclerotia. As a result, an epidemic of white mold on sunflowers can result in an epidemic in dry beans in future years.

Similarly, the pathogen can cause severe white mold on a number of different broadleaf weeds, making good weed control important for management of white mold. Members of the grass family, including small grains, corn and millet, are not susceptible to white mold and are good rotational crops for dry bean disease management.

Rhizoctonia root rot

Rhizoctonia solani causes a root rot of dry bean. Specific Anastomosis groups (strains) of  Rhizoctonia solani  can cause disease on sugarbeet and soybean. Including these crops in a rotation may lead to the buildup of  Rhizoctonia  inoculum. One of the  Rhizoctonia  strains that attacks dry bean, sugarbeet and soybean also attacks flax and lentil.

Soybean cyst nematode

The parasitic worm  Heterodera glycines  attacks soybean and dry edible bean. SCN eggs may survive in cysts in the soil for many years, and eliminating the nematode using crop rotation is not possible.

If a susceptible crop is planted into a field with SCN, nematode egg levels can increase dramatically in one growing season. Rotation away from soybean and dry beans with any other crop (small grains, corn, sunflower, canola, etc.) will reduce the egg levels in the soil and the likelihood of yield loss.

The benefit of crop rotation for even one year is notable, but greater reduction in eggs levels are seen with two years. If soybean are included in a dry bean rotation, using a SCN-resistant soybean cultivar is critical.

Dry Bean Fertility

Dave Franzen,  NDSU Extension Soil Specialist

Dry beans are responsive to fertilizer when soil fertility levels are inadequate to support yield levels possible with existing soil moisture and growing season climatic conditions. Soil testing is recommended to determine the probability of crop response to fertilizer amendments. If soil levels are less than adequate, dry beans may respond to nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and zinc (Zn) in many northern Plains soils.

Soil test cores should be taken at zero to 6-inch and 6- to 24-inch depths. N is analyzed at both core depths, and P, K and Zn are analyzed on the zero to 6-inch depth.

Salt levels at both depths may be analyzed if a reason exists to suspect a salt problem. Soil pH may be determined on the surface and subsurface depth if iron chlorosis problems are anticipated.

Soils with soil test levels indicating medium levels and lower would be expected to respond to P fertilizer. Phosphorus fertilizer may be broadcast or banded. Banded rates of P in the very low or low range may be reduced by one-third from Table 9 recommendations because the broadcast recommendations also include extra buildup fertilizer useful in long-term fertility programs.

Reducing the rates will not result in long-term improvement of soil P fertility but may increase short-term profitability in the current crop year. Phosphorus should be applied as recommended in Table 9.

Recent studies at the Carrington Research Extension Center, for multiple years, showed that low rates of in-furrow or near-furrow 10-34-0 (2 to 3 gallon per acre) have minimal effect on stand and substitute for higher recommended rates of broadcast fertilizer. This is contrary to previous findings and may be the result of newer cultivars, compared with those used in the past. Using a low rate of 10-34-0 will have substantial economic benefits for farmers whose fields test in the low to very low P categories.

Additional dry bean P starter fertilizer details are available in the NDSU Extension publication  “Pinto Bean Response to Phosphorus Starter Fertilizer in East-central North Dakota” (A1883) .

Potassium (K) seldom is required in most northern Plains soils; however, a soil test should be analyzed to determine the probability of response. Soils with medium K level or lower may respond to K fertilizer.

Lower K levels sometimes may be found on sandy ridges within the region. The rate of K recommended at different K soil test levels is shown in Table 10.

Potassium fertilizer may be broadcast or banded. Banded K should not be placed with the seed. At least 1 inch of separation between seed and fertilizer is required.

Nitrogen and Inoculation

Many legumes have the ability to fix N from the air without the use of commercial fertilizers if inoculated with N-fixing bacteria. The N-fixing bacteria for dry bean is called  Rhizobium phaseolus , and it is specific for dry beans. Inoculants used for soybeans or peas are different and will not infect dry bean roots.

Unfortunately, the relationship between dry bean and  Rhizobium phaseolus  is not strong. Dry, hot weather, short periods of soil water saturation and cold weather all will result in sloughing off of nodules, so achieving high dry bean yields consistently using inoculation for an N source may be difficult.

In the last 20 years, researchers in North Dakota and Minnesota have conducted more than 30 site-years of N-rate trials on dry beans. Using an N cost of 30 cents per pound of N and a dry bean price of 20 cents per pound, the return to N in inoculated trials was mostly negative for N rates in excess of 40 pounds/acre.

From these data, inoculated trials did not benefit from N rates greater than 40 pounds/acre, including trials where yields increased up to 100 pounds of N/acre. Fertilization at rates more than 70 pounds/acre provided little economic advantage. Risks of later maturity, and increased incidence and severity of white mold disease would favor 70 pounds/acre rates vs. higher N rates.

The most economical N rate was not related to yield potential. Therefore, no scale of yield potential is made in dryland dry bean N recommendations for maximum economic production. In years when environmental conditions favored higher yields, the conditions also favored increased organic matter mineralization and more efficient uptake of N by the dry beans.

N recommendations for dryland dry edible beans:

• Inoculated: 40 pounds/acre less STN (soil test N) to a depth of 2 feet
• Non-inoculated- 70 pounds/acre less STN

Irrigated Production

Most irrigation is sited on well-drained, coarser-textured soils. Inoculation has not been found adequate for supporting higher yields of dry beans produced under irrigation.

Therefore, supplemental N is very important to achieve the high yield potential in irrigated fields. Not only is supplemental N encouraged, but split applications of N are also encouraged to increase N efficiency and prevent N leaching.

The formula for N recommendations under irrigation is:

    N rec = YP X 0.05 – STN-PCC

• Where YP is the yield potential based on past history of the grower or field.
• STN is the soil test N acquired in fall or spring to a depth of 2 feet.
• PCC is the previous crop credit from a previous legume, sugarbeet tops or another N source such as a cover crop.

A small preplant application of N is advised, usually less than 40 pounds of N/acre. The first supplemental N application can be a side-dressed ammonia, UAN or urea application before vining. Subsequent applications can be made through the irrigation system and completed before top pod fill begins.

Dry bean is one of only a few crops in the region to respond regularly to Zn fertilizer in low-zinc soils. Soils with soil test levels below 0.8 parts per million (ppm) may respond to fertilizer zinc application.

Zinc deficiency may be seen as bronzing, browning and death of leaf tissue, stunting and poor vining. Zinc deficiency may be treated by foliar sprays of zinc sulfate, zinc chelate or ammoniated zinc solutions. Zinc deficiency may be prevented with preplant or planter treatments of zinc sulfate, zinc chelates or ammoniated zinc solutions.

A treatment of 3 to 5 pounds/acre of actual Zn preplant incorporated as zinc sulfate may improve soil Zn availability for several years. Studies have shown that greater water solubility of the Zn source is important for Zn utilization by plants.

A liquid starter such as a zinc chelate or ammoniated zinc complex can be applied. Product rates as low as 1 pint/acre have shown effectiveness.

Most grower rates range from 1 to 1.5 quarts/acre. Zinc diluted with water and applied with the seed is preferred versus mixing with another liquid fertilizer, in order to minimize stand loss

If the starter band is separated from the seed by at least an inch, the liquid Zn fertilizer may be applied with the liquid starter fertilizer, provided that a jar test shows that they are compatible when mixed together.

Iron Chlorosis

Dry beans generally are more resistant to iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC) than soybean, but it still can be seen in some fields under certain conditions. Iron chlorosis appears as interveinal yellowing of upper leaves in response to low available soil iron due to high levels of carbonate minerals with or without high levels of soluble salts.

Soil pH levels higher than 7 may be accompanied by high levels of calcium/magnesium carbonates in the soil. Carbonates dissociate in moist soils to form bicarbonate, which lowers the dry bean plant’s ability to take up soil iron. Wetter soils contain higher levels of soluble bicarbonate than dry soils.

Wetter soils also may contain higher levels of salts due to shallower soil water tables. The combination of high levels of soil carbonates and salts has been shown to increase the level of iron chlorosis symptoms in soybean.

A similar relationship also is likely for dry beans. Iron chlorosis may be minimized by planting cultivars showing tolerance and having a higher tolerance to salt. Iron sprays have performed inconsistently in the past but if used, they should be applied early in the season for best results. Late-season spraying after about the third trifoliolate leaf would reduce effectiveness.

Iron sprays of ferrous sulfate or iron chelates have been used with limited success. Application of iron amendments with postemergence herbicides is not recommended. If a field has shown a history of IDC in dry beans, avoid the field entirely or grow an IDC-tolerant cultivar and maybe plan to in-furrow apply an ortho-ortho-EDDHA iron chelate (for example, Soygreen) to help iron nutrition.

Additional dry bean plant nutrition details are available in the NDSU Extension publication  “Fertilizing Pinto, Navy and Other Dry Edible Bean” (SF720) .

Dry beans are very sensitive to salt damage. Levels of salt (EC, electrical conductivity) higher than 0.5 millimho per centimeter (mmho/cm) as a 1:1 soil water extract begin to reduce yield. Salt levels are reduced by lowering water table levels. This is difficult to do in exceptionally wet years.

Soil salts can be reduced through tile drainage, but in many areas of eastern North Dakota, the effect of sodium within inclusions in the field may be enhanced and certain areas rendered unproductive. In the absence of tile drainage, lower salt levels are achieved by continuously cropping and introducing deep-rooting crops into the rotation.

The use of cover crops before or after seeding in the rotation, or a roadside buffer of alfalfa strips also may be helpful. See the NDSU Extension publication  “Managing Saline Soils in North Dakota” (SF1087)  for more information.

Weed Control

Joe Ikley , NDSU Extension Weed Specialist

The weed control suggestions in this production guide are based on the assumption that all herbicides mentioned will have a registered label with the Environmental Protection Agency. Herbicides that no longer are registered or have not received registration for dry edible bean should not be used.

Dry beans treated with a nonregistered herbicide may have an illegal residue that, if detected, could cause condemnation of the crop. Nonregistered herbicide use is illegal, and a user could be subject to a heavy fine even without detectable residue.

For additional information, see the “North Dakota Weed Control Guide” at  www.ag.ndsu.edu/weeds/weed-control-guides/nd-weed-control-guide-1 .

Photographs at the end of this publication provide examples to identify the most common weeds.

Navy beans  generally are less tolerant to herbicides than other dry bean classes or soybean. A rotary hoe used before or soon after weed emergence and before crook stage or after emergence up to first trifoliolate leaf stage may supplement weed control with herbicides.

Eptam  (EPTC) plus Prowl, Sonalan or Treflan (or generic equivalent) controls many grass and broadleaf weeds. Incorporate 4 to 6 inches deep immediately after application.

Dual  (S/metolachlor),  Outlook  (dimethenamid) {or generic equivalents of these products} applied PPI (preplant incorporated) or PRE (pre-emergence) controls annual grasses and some broadleaf weeds. PPI may provide more consistent weed control because PRE requires rainfall for activation.

Outlook can be applied in sequential treatments for improved nightshade control. Outlook PPI or PRE provides greater nightshade control than Dual but may degrade in soil before nightshade emergence ceases. Apply Outlook EPOST (early postemergence) up to third trifoliolate dry beans to reduce late nightshade emergence.

Pursuit  (imazethapyr) applied PPI, PRE or POST controls many broadleaf weeds. Pursuit can be applied  only  PPI within one week of planting or PRE up to three days following planting. Do not apply POST (postemergence) to ‘Domino’ black bean. Do not apply after crop begins to flower or when cold and/or wet weather are present or predicted to occur within one week of application.

Do not use oil additives or liquid fertilizer. Apply with NIS (nonionic surfactant) at 0.25% v/v to dry beans with at least one trifoliolate leaf. Refer to label for additional information on application use and restrictions, including crop rotation restrictions.  User assumes all risk of liability for injury.

Reflex  (fomesafen) applied POST with NIS at 0.25 to 0.5% v/v or oil adjuvant at 0.5 to 1% v/v controls many broadleaf weeds. Oil adjuvant may increase weed control but also increases the risk of dry bean injury. NDSU research has shown good to excellent kochia control when applied at high spray volumes (greater than 17 gpa), with oil adjuvants (especially MSO type), at labeled rates, and to kochia less than 2 inches tall.

Basagran  (bentazon) at 0.5 to 1 qt/A applied POST controls many annual broadleaf weeds and suppresses Canada thistle. NDSU research has shown greater broadleaf weed control, especially for kochia, lambs¬quarters, redroot pigweed and wild buckwheat, by applying Basagran as split treatments twice each at 1 pt/A, three times each at 0.67 pt/A or four times each at 0.5 pt/A, compared with one application at 2 pt/A.

Make applications seven to 10 days apart, depending on the weed growth rate, growing conditions, size of weeds at application, degree of weed control from first application and sequential flushes. The first application must be made to small weeds (1 inch).

For Canada thistle suppression, apply Basagran at 1 qt/A when plants are 8 inches tall to bud stage. Make a second application at 1 qt/A seven to 10 days later.

Sequential micro-rate applications will provide greater broadleaf weed control than from a single application at full rates and can be used in all crops where Basagran is labeled. Apply with an oil additive at 1 qt/A (1 pt/A by air). Do not reduce the amount of oil adjuvant with the micro-rate.

MSO (methylated seed oil) adjuvant has shown greater enhancement of Basagran than petroleum oil (COC) adjuvants (Table 12). Basagran is safe for dry beans at all stages. The total maximum seasonal use rate is 4 pt/A, so the micro-rate can be increased if weeds are large at application or if sequential applications are delayed due to rain or wind.

1 - CHEAL = common lambsquarters; KCHSC = kochia; AMARE = redroot pigweed.

Basagran commonly is combined with fertilizer micronutrients that may cause incompatibility problems resulting in zinc precipitation. Chelated zinc materials have greater incompatibility problems than unchelated material. Recommendations to prevent precipitation are to fill the sprayer with water, add Basagran and thoroughly agitate, then add zinc fertilizer material.

The NDSU dry bean micro-rate  concept is based on the sugarbeet micro-rate and substitutes additional weed management for reduced herbicide rates. Application to small weeds is essential for success. The micro-rate can be applied more than once in dry beans to control emerging weed flushes, but applying a foundation herbicide treatment (DNA [Group 3] or acetanilide [Group 15]) may require only one POST application. MSO adjuvant is required for optimum weed control. The POST grass herbicide can be excluded if grass populations are low.

Weed control from the micro-rate is best when the temperature plus humidity is greater than 140. Increasing spray volume and using AMS may help improve weed control when the value is below 140. Research also has shown control of wild mustard, nightshade, buckwheat, ragweed and cocklebur from the micro-rate.

Herbicide Carryover

Besides carryover potential there are also grazing restrictions for certain herbicides used in dry beans (Table 13).

The persistence of phytotoxic levels of an herbicide for more than one year can be a problem with some of the herbicides used in North Dakota. Herbicide residues are most likely to occur following years with unusually low rainfall because the chemical and microbial activity needed to degrade herbicides is limited in dry soil.

Crop damage from herbicide residues can be minimized by applying the lowest herbicide rates required for good weed control, using band rather than broadcast applications and mold-board plowing before planting the next crop. Mold-board plowing reduces the phytotoxicity of some herbicides by diluting the herbicide residue in a large volume of soil. Mold-board plowing is effective in reducing the residual effects of trifluralin, Sonalan, Prowl, Nortron SC, atrazine and metribuzin.

Rotation restrictions for planting dry beans after use of herbicides are provided in Table 14.

NCS = Next cropping season.

2CS = Second cropping season after herbicide application.

a = Do not plant dry bean for 18 months after application on soil with less than 2% organic matter and if less than 15 inches of rain fall during the 12 months following application, or dry beans may be planted 12 months after application if risk of injury is acceptable.

Relative Herbicide Effectiveness on Weeds

The ratings in Table 15 show relative herbicide effectiveness at labeled rates. Under favorable conditions, control may be greater than indicated, and under unfavorable conditions, herbicides may give erratic results. Dry and cool weather increases herbicide persistence, while wet and/or warm weather reduces herbicide persistence.

PPI = preplant incorporated, PRE = pre-emergence, POPI = post-plant incorporated.

Shallow PPI gives greater and more consistent weed control, compared with PRE.

1 = Or generic equivalent.

2 = ALS enzyme inhibitor, 3 = mitotic inhibitor, 14 = PPO (Protox) inhibitor, and 15 = very long chain fatty acid inhibitor.

1 Except where resistant populations have developed.

Weed control ratings in this section are based on the following scale:

• E = Excellent = 90% to 99% control
• G = Good = 80% to 90% control
• F = Fair = 65% to 80% control
• P = Poor = 40% to 65% control
• N = None = No control
• “-“ = insufficient information

Herbicide persistence ratings are for residues present 12 months after application:

O = Often, S = Seldom, N = None.

3 -  Herbicides will not control resistant biotypes or provide minimal control in tank mix/premixes with alternative modes of action.

1 - Or generic equivalent.

2 -  1 = ACC-ase Inhibitor, 2 = ALS enzyme inhibitor, 6 = photosystem II inhibitor, and 14 = PPO (Protox) inhibitor.

3 - Herbicides will not control resistant biotypes or provide minimal control in tank mix/premixes with alternative modes of action.

Disease Identification and Management

Sam Markell,  NDSU Extension Plant Pathologist

Julie Pasche,  NDSU Plant Pathologist, Department of Plant Pathology

Michael Wunch,  NDSU Plant Pathologist, Carrington Research Extension Center

Guiping Yan,  NDSU Nematologist, Department of Plant Pathology

Principles of Disease Management

Many pathogens can cause diseases in dry edible bean. Diseases can reduce yield and quality, and add to production costs. Disease management tools and strategies are available and can reduce the potential impact of diseases.

This section describes the general principles of disease management, followed by discussion of the most problematic diseases in the North Dakota and Minnesota production regions. Photographs at the end of this publication provide examples to identify common diseases in dry edible beans.

1. Assess your greatest threats.

While many diseases impact dry edible bean, each disease is not a threat in every year and every location. Try to determine which diseases are more likely to cause you problems. Proactive management of the most likely disease threats in each field may reduce the chances of yield and quality losses due to disease.

Field history:  If you consistently have problems with a specific disease on a specific field (for example, root rots) or have had a recent outbreak of a disease on your farm (for example, anthracnose or white mold), put greater emphasis on managing that disease when preparing for the season (for example, plant a cultivar resistant to that specific disease of concern or budget for a fungicide application).

Environment:  Although climatic trends exist, nobody can predict the weather accurately and consistently in an upcoming growing season. However, assessing your local environmental conditions, and responding appropriately to them, is very important. For example, if rain and cool temperatures are forecast as your beans begin to flower, a foliar fungicide for white mold may be very important. If heavy dews and fog occur frequently, you should look for rust and prepare to respond with a fungicide if it is found.

Adapt:  Every year is different, and the greatest disease threats can change quickly. For example, frequent thunderstorms may create conditions favorable for bacterial blight outbreaks, even if the month before had been hot and dry.

2. Keep pathogens and beans separated.

Certified disease-free seed:  Certified seed must meet certain quality standards with regard to seed-borne pathogens. You have no guarantee that seed is actually pathogen  free;  however, planting certified seed is the best way to minimize the introduction of bean pathogens on the seed. This is particularly important for the pathogens that cause bacterial blights and anthracnose.

Crop rotation and geographic separation : A rotation of three or four years out of beans is recommended, and longer rotations may be beneficial in some cases. Avoid planting next to last year’s bean field, especially if disease pressure was severe. Some pathogens overwinter and can be blown in the wind to adjacent fields the following season.

Avoid cultivating or moving through a field when plants are wet:  This helps prevent the spread of pathogens, especially those that cause bacterial blights and anthracnose.

3. Identify the disease or pathogen.

Active scouting and correct identification of diseases in the field is critical to mitigate outbreaks. This is true not only in the current growing season, but in future growing seasons in that field as well.

Scout:  You have no substitute for proper scouting (walking the fields). Many diseases are not seen unless you are examining leaves actively by hand

Identify:  Take advantage of many knowledgeable Extension agents, the NDSU diagnostic lab, crop consultants or seed company agronomists. Additionally, diagnostic tools designed for growers in North Dakota and Minnesota are available. As examples, NDSU Extension’s publication  “Dry Edible Bean Disease Diagnostic Series” (PP1820)  is designed specifically to help aid identification of diseases in our region. Similarly, the NDSU Extension Pest Management App has images and diagnostic information, along with data on labeled fungicides for disease management.

As an example of the importance of proper identification, if you misidentify halo blight (a bacterial disease) as rust (a fungal pathogen) and select a fungicide to manage rust, you will not manage halo blight and will add significant production costs needlessly.

4. Strengthen the bean plant.

Plant disease-resistant cultivars:  Genetic resistance is a cost-effective way to manage diseases.

Manage fertility:  Provide adequate soil fertility (based on soil test results) and adequate trace minerals such as zinc. Avoid excess nitrogen levels that stimulate lush plant growth, which can enlarge the canopy and provide a microclimate conducive to disease development.

Control weeds:  Weeds can be hosts to pathogens that cause diseases on dry bean.

Control volunteers:  Volunteer bean plants often harbor pathogens, which limits the effectiveness of your rotation to reduce inoculum and may facilitate pathogen race changes (for example, rust).

5. Attack the pathogen.

Scout fields for disease:  For many diseases, early detection is critical for effective management.

Foliar fungicide selection:  Fungicides may aid in disease management by limiting new infections; however, fungicides are not all equally effective on all pathogens. For example, some fungicides are effective on rust but have minimal efficacy on white mold, and vice versa. Match the more effective fungicide with your target disease.

Foliar fungicide timing:  The timing of an application is critical and different for every disease. For example, an application to manage white mold should occur at the beginning of flowering (R1), while an application to manage rust should occur shortly after pustules are first identified. An application later than these two recommended times greatly reduces the efficacy of the application and increase the likelihood of a disease epidemic.

Seed treatments:  Fungicide seed treatments may limit damping off and root rots and aid the establishment of a robust stand. The use of seed treatments is particularly important in fields with a long history of bean production.

6. Stay engaged and adapt.

Disease prevalence, pathogen races, management tools and information strategies change constantly. Staying engaged will help you manage the most critical diseases with the most current and effective tools.

White mold is a very common and yield-limiting disease affecting dry bean production in the Northarvest growing region. Nearly complete yield loss can occur in severe cases and if no management tools are used.

It can be especially devastating when cool, wet weather occurs at flowering. Infected plant tissues will turn tan to dry-bone color, may be covered with “white mold” and will shred toward the end of the season.

Within diseased tissues, the causal fungal pathogen produces hardened fungal structures called sclerotia. Sclerotia have a black exterior and a white to pinkish interior, and they take on the shape of the plant tissue in which they are produced.

When white mold-infested tissue shatters or decays, sclerotia are released into the soil, where they serve as resting structures for initiating new disease outbreaks in future growing seasons. Sclerotia can survive in the soil for many years.

When the soil surface is wet in the spring and summer, sclerotia will form tiny mushroomlike bodies (apothecia) that liberate wind-dispersed ascospores. Ascospores do not directly infect living tissue; rather, they colonize bean blossoms and use them as an energy source to become established on the plant.

As a consequence, dry edible beans often are considered at risk for white mold only after flowering, and similarly, fungicide applications are recommended only during flowering. Once the pathogen has colonized bean dead flower tissues, it easily can invade healthy green tissue and quickly damage the plant.

In wet weather, infected tissues are tan and soft with tufts of fluffy white fungal growth. Eventually, sclerotia will form, leaves of infected plants turn yellow and infected branches or the whole plant may wilt.

In dry weather, affected stems have a bleached or whitish appearance. The epidermis of such tissues peels easily and appears shredded, and sclerotia may be found inside. Infected seeds are discolored, chalky and lightweight, and sclerotia may be found in the pod.

White Mold Management

Crop rotation:  Avoid short rotations or rotations with other susceptible crops, especially sunflower, canola and soybean. Although crop rotation is important, it should be used in conjunction with other management tools because the sclerotia can survive for several years in the soil.

Foliar fungicides:  Many foliar fungicides are available and can provide some management of the disease. However,  management  of white mold is simply that; fungicides can reduce disease severity sharply but do not provide complete control of white mold.

Because the pathogen uses flower petals as a food source, early flowering is generally the best time to apply fungicides, but the initial application can be delayed if weather does not favor disease development at flowering. Dry beans are at highest risk of white mold when the soils are moist going into flowering and cool, wet weather occurs during flowering.

However, white mold also can develop in the absence of significant rainfall if soils have been sufficiently moist to facilitate the development of the mushroomlike apothecia and temperatures are cool with heavy dew in the mornings. Additionally, the microclimate within the canopy will impact disease; high canopy density within the rows and a densely closed canopy favor infection and disease development.

A second application may be recommended 10 to 14 days after the first application if conditions favoring the disease (cool and wet) persist. Although additional applications may limit additional infections, the most devastating lesions occur in the early flowering stages, and preventing them is critical. Good canopy penetration of the fungicide is required to ensure flowers and lower stems are protected.

Biological control:  Commercial production of a fungus that attacks sclerotia, Coniothyrium minitans, also is available. Coniothyrium minitans needs to be incorporated in the soil, preferably late in the fall.

Cultural control:  Increasing row spacing may help enhance drying and subsequently help the crop escape severe infection in years when conditions are marginal for white mold development.

Weed control:  Many broadleaf weeds are hosts to the pathogen. Effective weed control every year in each field is important for limiting the buildup of the pathogen for future bean crops.

Rust is a common disease and can lead to partial or complete crop failure. The rust fungus forms discrete pustules, which are filled with cinnamon-brown spores (urediniospores). On the upper side of the leaves, pustules will appear small (1/16 inch) and may be surrounded by a yellow halo. On the underside of the leaves, the pustules will appear slightly larger and be more raised, and the dusty spores are rubbed off easily with a finger.

These spores may be wind-blown for many miles. Infection is favored when free moisture (dew or fog) occurs frequently. The infection cycle can repeat every 10 to 14 days, and a significant epidemic can result very quickly if the disease goes unmanaged. Pustules break through the leaf surface, opening the interior of the plant to desiccation. Large numbers of pustules result in plants drying out and dying, even when soil moisture is good.

Late in the season, the cinnamon-brown spores will be replaced with black spores (teliospores). Both spore types overwinter on bean debris and can lead to infections the next spring. The rust life cycle also includes an inconspicuous sexual stage that can result in new races.

Rust Management

Resistance:  Resistance is an effective and inexpensive way to manage rust, but the pathogen races causing rust can change and should be monitored. For context, rust epidemics caused millions of dollars in yield losses to dry edible beans in the Northarvest region in the 1990s. However, when pathologists and breeders incorporated the novel and effective resistance gene  Ur-3  into cultivars, rust was widely managed throughout the region.

In 2008, a new pathogen race that overcame  Ur-3  (race 20-3) first was identified in North Dakota and it spread throughout the growing region in subsequent years. As a result, rust became a major threat in the region again.

Pathologists and breeders actively monitor the pathogen for race changes, and identify and incorporate new resistance genes into cultivars. Consult the most up-to-date information when selecting a cultivar for rust resistance.

Destroy volunteer beans:  Destruction of volunteer bean plants will reduce early season rust pressure and slow the development of new rust races.

Scout:  Foliar fungicides can be used to manage rust effectively, but they are most effective shortly after rust is found. Scouting should be done regularly, with an emphasis on looking for “hot spots” (localized areas of infections).

When a rust outbreak begins, symptoms are observed most readily in the lower-middle canopy and on the underside of the leaves. Monitor fields carefully, paying particular attention to areas prone to long periods of heavy dews or fog (for example, near tree lines or low-lying areas).

Foliar fungicides:  Many foliar fungicides are labeled for rust management. Protectant compounds can delay the onset of rust if applied before infection, but in general, FRAC 3, FRAC 11 and some FRAC 7 fungicides are more effective, particularly once rust infection occurs. Consult the most up to date information to select an efficacious fungicide.

Foliar fungicide timing:  The most effective timing for a fungicide application for rust is usually soon after the disease is identified. Research results at NDSU indicated that preventive applications (before detection) and late applications (applied several weeks after the epidemic began) were less effective. Once the crop is at growth stage R7 (striping in pintos), fungicides no longer provide economic benefits.

Crop rotation:  Use crop rotation and avoid planting next to a field that was severely diseased last year.

Additional resources:  Additional information on rust can be found in the NDSU Extension publication “Dry Edible Bean Rust” (PP1601).

Several pathogens, including  Fusarium, Rhizoctonia  and  Pythium , can cause root rots. Root rots can occur individually or in combination, and cause many symptoms, including damping off, cankers browning and wilting.

Damage from  Fusarium  is common in dry bean, particularly in drought years.  Fusarium  produces symptoms with indistinct brown lesions and occasionally a more general browning of the roots.

Rhizoctonia  is most common in warm, moist soils, and when dry bean is grown in rotation with sugarbeet or soybean.  Rhizoctonia  causes more distinct lesions that are chocolate-colored to dark red.

Pythium  is most common in wet soils, causing a soft brown rot resulting in a hollow tap root. Plants with root rot may be stunted with yellow leaves. Infected plants form fewer pods and smaller seeds.

Root Rot Management

Crop rotation:  Longer rotations may help reduce inoculum. If  Rhizoctonia  is present, avoid sugarbeet and soybean in close rotation. Root rot is less severe following wheat.

Seed:  Plant high-quality seed.

Seed treatments : Most dry bean seed comes with a fungicidal seed treatment, which will aid in disease management.

Resistance:  Some cultivars may be more resistant to root rot pathogens than others.

Anthracnose

Anthracnose can reduce yield and quality. The pathogen that causes this disease survives in seeds and plant residues, and an epidemic can begin from either source. Infections occurring early in the growing season usually result in greater yield and quality losses. As such, infections occurring from infected seed are particularly devastating. Anthracnose can develop at any time during the growing season if cool, wet weather occurs.

Anthracnose symptoms initially are observed as linear, dark lesions on the veins on the underside of leaves. These lesions eventually can be seen on the upper side of the leaves and on petioles and stems. Symptoms may mimic other biotic or abiotic ailments, so accurate identification is important.

Infection on pods produces reddish-brown circular cankers 1/8 inch or greater in diameter. Larger areas of pods can be destroyed when these cankers merge. Under moist conditions, the center of these cankers is filled with beige to pink masses of spores.

Anthracnose symptoms on pods are similar to those produced by bacterial blights. Symptoms on infected seeds can range from light discoloration to the presence of cankers similar to those produced on the pods.

Importantly, symptomless infections also can occur. This is particularly important in seed because healthy-looking seed actually may be infected with the anthracnose pathogen. Planting infected yet symptomless seed may initiate an epidemic during the growing season.

Once infection begins, the spores of the pathogen can be moved easily in the field by splashing water and machinery. Long-range spread occurs through infected seeds, infected plant material blowing in the wind, equipment carrying the sticky spore masses, and wind-driven rain.

Anthracnose Management

Clean seed:  The most effective way to manage the disease is to prevent its introduction in your fields by planting certified disease-free seed. The use of bin-run seed greatly increases the anthracnose risk.

Seed treatments:  Some fungicide seed treatments reduce seed-to-seedling transmission of the anthracnose pathogen, but none provides complete control and none eradicates the anthracnose pathogen in seed because the embryo or inner cotyledon may be infected.

Cultural methods:  If you have an infected field, work infected fields last, and wash your implements thoroughly before entering other fields. Avoid cultivating when the canopy is still wet.

Crop rotation:  A minimum of a three-year crop rotation is recommended if anthracnose is identified.

Resistance:  Cultivars with resistance to anthracnose may be available. Consult the most current information on cultivars.

Scout:  Monitor fields for the presence of anthracnose and do not plant saved seed from anthracnose-infected fields.

Foliar fungicides:  When applied preventatively at flower initiation and again 10 to 14 days later, foliar fungicides can reduce the incidence of diseased pods and reduce anthracnose-related seed quality losses, but none provides complete control. Consult the most current information on fungicides for management of anthracnose.

Resources:  Additional information on rust can be found in the NDSU Extension publication “Anthracnose of Dry Beans” (PP1233).

Bacterial Blights

Multiple bacterial blight diseases occur in North Dakota and Minnesota: common blight, halo blight, bacterial brown spot and bacterial wilt. Common blight is the most prevalent of the bacterial blights, but others can be severe periodically. Bacterial blights cause leaf and pod lesions, defoliation and shrunken, discolored seed.

All pathogens are seed-borne and can survive on bean residue. The pathogens causing common blight, halo blight and bacterial brown spot are favored by wet weather and are spread by splashing rain. An epidemic of these diseases may occur when weather events (for example, hail or high winds) cause small wounds in the leaves, which allow the bacteria to enter the leaf.

Bacterial wilt  can begin from seed-borne infection or through wounds in stems or leaves. Secondary infection occurs similarly to other bacterial pathogens. Bacteria wilt spreads quickly within a plant, and during periods of high temperature and moisture stress, will cause the plant to wilt and eventually die in severe infections.

Common blight  lesions on leaves begin as small, greasy green spots, which later develop into large brown areas surrounded by a narrow lemon-yellow border. Veins near the lesions are darkened. Infected pods develop greasy green lesions with brick red margins. Pod lesions exude yellow ooze in wet weather. Seeds may be shriveled and discolored.

Halo blight  first appears as small water-soaked or greasy green spots, which develop into small dead spots. Nearby veins may be darkened. During cool weather, the lesions are surrounded by light green halos up to ½ inch or more in diameter.

Pod lesions are similar to those of common blight except that they exude a creamy white ooze in wet weather. Occasionally, halo blight infections may become systemic, causing stunted, yellow and malformed leaves. Whole plants also may be stunted.

Brown spot  first appears as small water-soaked spots. These spots remain small, turn a reddish brown and are surrounded by a narrow, light green halo. Nearby veins may be darkened. Pod lesions are similar to those produced by halo blight.

Bacterial wilt  often causes whole planting wilting, particularly under hot and dry conditions. Foliar symptoms include interveinal necrotic lesions, sometimes with yellow borders, similar to those of common blight. If the plant survives long enough to produce seed, the seed often is stained different colors (commonly yellow, purple or orange).

Bacterial Blights Management

Clean seed:  Plant high-quality certified seed.

Crop rotation:  Use a three- to four-year crop rotation.

Resistance:  Breeders and pathologists actively work to develop dry edible beans that are less susceptible to bacterial blights. Consult the most current information on cultivars to help manage bacterial blights.

Fungicides:  Fungicides do not work on bacteria. Cupric hydroxide (copper) compounds have been used in a program approach (multiple applications) in the central Great Plains under irrigated conditions and have shown good results in that environment. These products often have to be applied multiple times for disease management. North Dakota trial results have been inconsistent and additional research is being conducted. Additional products, such as hydrogen peroxide sanitizers, have shown similar efficacy in some studies.

Soybean Cyst Nematode

The plant-parasitic nematode soybean cyst nematode (SCN) can infect and cause yield loss on dry edible beans. SCN occurs in multiple areas in the growing region and continues to spread.

SCN survives in eggs, often protected inside a cyst. After eggs hatch, the nematode goes through a series of molts. In the life cycle, second-stage juveniles infect the root to form adult females. Female worms feed on the root, mate and expand in size as eggs inside develop.

Each female contains approximately 200 eggs. Only once the female worm has expanded is she visible with the unaided eye and appears as a tiny, white, lemon-shaped cyst. Through time, the female turns brown and dies, making visual identification again nearly impossible.

Under ideal conditions, the life cycle can repeat approximately every 24 days. In our growing region, the life cycle is thought to usually repeat two or three times in the season.

SCN is spread in soil by any means soil moves. Commonly, SCN is moved within fields, among fields and long distances in soil on equipment. SCN also is moved easily by tillage, floodwaters, wind, birds and any human or animal that moves soil.

Soybean Cyst Nematode Management

Limit soil movement:  Cleaning soil off equipment before movement into adjacent fields can help limit the spread of SCN and other pathogens and pests. This is particularly important when equipment is moved long distances. Make sure that any equipment purchased from areas outside the growing region are cleaned in the area where they are purchased.

Soil sampling:  Soil sampling is the more effective way to test for the presence of SCN. Similarly, it is the only way to determine the level of infestation (egg counts).

Soil sampling for SCN is different than soil sampling for fertility. In fields where the possibility of SCN occurring is not known, focus sampling on areas where SCN is most likely to be introduced, such as field entrances (via equipment), shelter belts (via wind), low spots (via flooding) or areas where SCN is likely to be established, such as alkaline areas or unexplained low-yielding spots.

Genetic resistance:  Breeders and pathologists are working actively on incorporating resistance into dry edible beans. Additionally, susceptibility to SCN varies among market classes, with kidney bean allowing the highest reproduction of SCN (they are the most susceptible) and black bean allowing the lowest (less susceptible). Consult the most current cultivar information when considering genetic resistance.

Crop rotation:  Soybeans and dry edible beans are the two crops grown in our region that are hosts to SCN. We recommend rotation to other crops for at least two consecutive years.

Weed control:  Several weeds in our region allow SCN to reproduce and increase, making weed control critical for disease management.

Control volunteers:  Volunteer dry edible beans and soybeans will allow SCN to increase.

Seed treatments:  Nematicide seed treatments may be available. Limited efficacy data on dry edible beans exists.

Nonparasitic Disorders

Juan Osorno,  NDSU Dry Bean Breeder/Geneticist

Hans Kandel,  NDSU Extension Agronomist

Seedlings have no growing point. Cotyledons may or may not be attached; often they are broken. A few weak stems may develop from the axils of the cotyledons. Roots may be damaged and grow poorly.

The problem is caused by mechanically damaged seed. Damage may be more severe on navy than pinto beans. To help prevent baldheads, purchase high-quality seed. Seed producers should thrash full windrows, harvest when pods are limber and use low cylinder speeds. Carefully handle seed during conditioning and shipping.

Upper leaf surfaces are covered with small golden-brown spots that make the leaf appear bronze. Bronzing is caused by ozone from industrial or urban pollution or meteorological phenomena.

Genetic abnormalities may occur in plants, resulting in variegated leaves with patches of green, yellow and/or white tissue. Some branches or the entire plant may be affected. Pods also may be affected. Cool temperatures (below 61 F) for long periods during germination may increase the frequency of leaf variegations.

Small brown patches appear between the main veins. These expand, developing into large areas of dead tissue between apparently sound green veins. Sunscald is most likely to occur when warm, sunny and windy weather follows cool, cloudy and humid weather.

Insect Management in Dry Edible Beans

Janet Knodel , NDSU Extension Entomologist

In North Dakota and Minnesota, the most problematic insect pests of dry edible beans are potato leafhoppers, seedcorn maggots and grasshoppers. Spider mites also are damaging to dry edible beans during hot, dry conditions, which favor mite populations.

Occasionally, various caterpillars infest beans and can cause severe defoliation. For example, thistle caterpillar infestations defoliate young plants, particularly in areas of fields where Canada thistle has been treated with herbicides recently. This may prompt an insecticide treatment to reduce economic densities of caterpillars.

Estimating Insect Feeding Injury

In dry edible beans, field scouting to assess insect populations is based on the number of insects per foot of row, number of insects per plant or the level of defoliation. Scout a minimum of five sampling sites per field by walking an “M” pattern throughout field, and examine 10 or more plants per sampling site for insect pests or defoliation levels.

Insects per foot of row are determined by shaking plants over the row space on which a strip of cloth has been laid. Count the total number of insect pests per foot of row that falls on the cloth.

The percent of defoliation is estimated visually by the amount of leaf loss on the lower, middle and upper canopy on randomly selected plants throughout the field and calculating an average defoliation from the whole plant.

The growth stage of the plant is important. Under most conditions, moderate defoliation early in the season has little effect on final bean yield. As plants reach the flowering and pod filling stages, defoliation poses a greater threat to yield and seed quality.

For insecticides registered for dry edible bean, consult the bean section of the latest version of NDSU Extension’s “North Dakota Field Crop Insect Management Guide” (E1143) at  www.ag.ndsu.edu/publications/crops/north-dakota-field-crop-insect-management-guide .

Photographs at the end of this publication provide examples to identify insects and their damage.

(Hemiptera: Aphidae:  Aphis fabae  Scopoli)

The bean aphid has not been a major pest in North Dakota and Minnesota. It is nearly black and c inch long. Bean aphids feed along stems and on the underside of leaves. Aphids feed by sucking sap from plants, causing stunting and curling of leaves.

Infestations may result in a buildup of honeydew on leaf surfaces, promoting the growth of a black, sooty fungus. Bean aphids also vector the bean common mosaic virus and bean yellow mosaic virus.

No economic threshold has been established in our area. In other areas of dry bean production,  an average of 30 or more aphids per plant is recommended as the action threshold.

(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae:  Mythimna unipuncta  [Haworth])

Armyworms are greenish brown with pale and dark longitudinal stripes. Fully grown larvae are smooth, striped and almost hairless.

Armyworms feed for three to four weeks. When fully grown, larvae are 1½ to 2 inches long. Armyworm larvae have six growth stages, or instars. The final instar lasts about 10 days, and they consume large amounts of plant material during that time.

Armyworms are inactive during the day, resting under plant trash and clumps of grass or lodged plants. They feed at night or on cloudy days, crawling up on plants and consuming foliage. Due to their habit of feeding at night, armyworms may go undetected until significant damage has occurred.

Armyworms do not overwinter in the region. Moths migrate from southern states in late spring and early summer. This helps explain the sporadic infestations that occur.

When moths arrive, they prefer to lay their eggs in moist, shady areas, usually where grasses have lodged. Infestations that develop in bean fields often are due to grassy weed problems.

Armyworms are more of a problem in small grains and corn. Damage to dry beans can occur when the armyworms’ usual host plants become exhausted due to feeding or dry conditions. When their food is depleted in the hatching site, armyworms may move in large numbers or “armies,” eating and destroying plants or crops in their path.

Control of armyworms is recommended when  25% to 30% of the foliage is destroyed or if significant injury to pods is evident, or you find an average of four or more armyworm larvae per row foot.

Bean Leaf Beetle

(Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae:  Cerotoma trifurcata  [Förster])

Bean leaf beetles are uncommon in North Dakota and Minnesota. This beetle can vary from yellow to reddish brown, and usually has four spots with a central triangle and a black border on the wing covers.

Adults emerge from overwintering sites and move into bean fields as the seedlings emerge. The white larvae develop in the soil, feeding on the roots and nodules.

Feeding injury to leaves appears as small, round holes between the leaf veins. New adults emerge in late July and August, and feed on foliage and pods causing defoliation.

Defoliation appear as small round holes between the leaf veins. The chewing injury on pods results in scarring and secondary infections by fungi and bacteria, causing rotting and discoloration. Pod injury results in reduced yield and seed quality when populations of bean leaf beetle reach economic thresholds.

No local control guidelines have been developed. However,  treatment is recommended at 50% defoliation at the seedling stage, 25% defoliation at the pod set/filling stages or 10% of the pods are damaged.

(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Several cutworm species affect regional crops. The dingy cutworm,  Feltia jaculifera  (Guenée), overwinters as a partially grown larva and is one of the first cutworm species to cause problems during crop emergence from early to mid-May.

Dingy cutworm females lay eggs on sunflower heads from mid-July through September. Dry beans and other crops following sunflower in rotation are at greatest risk of injury by dingy cutworm.

Redbacked cutworm,  Euxoa ochrogaster  (Guenée), and the darksided cutworm,  Euxoa messoria  (Harris), overwinter as eggs, which hatch in mid to late May. Eggs are laid in the fall and survive in weedy and reduced-tillage areas. Feeding injury by these cutworms normally occurs in late May to early June.

Most of the damage by cutworms occurs when bean plants are in the early stages of development. Damage consists of young plants being chewed off slightly below or at ground level. Some cutworm feeding injury may occur on foliage.

Cutworms primarily feed at night. When checking bean fields for cutworms during the day, dig down into soil an inch or two around recently damaged or wilted plants to find the gray to brown larva.

Treatment is warranted when one or more cutworms are found per 3 feet of row and the larvae are small (less than ¾ inch long), or 5% of the plants are damaged by cutworms.

Foliage-feeding Caterpillars

Green Cloverworm, Cabbage Looper, Velvetbean Caterpillar, Thistle Caterpillar and Alfalfa Webworm

These caterpillars (larvae) are sporadic and populations typically are low in North Dakota and Minnesota, with minimal treatment necessary. To find these caterpillars that blend in with the bean foliage, place a dropcloth between two rows of plants and vigorously shake plants over the cloth to dislodge caterpillars from the plants. Then count the number of larvae to arrive at an estimate of the number per row feet.

However, the threshold used for all foliage-feeding caterpillars is based on defoliation.  When estimating defoliation, remember to look at the lower, middle and upper canopy of foliage and calculate an average for the whole plant . Foliage-feeding caterpillars often caused the most damage only to the upper foliage of beans.

■  Green Cloverworm (Lepidoptera: Erebidae:  Hypena scabra  [Fabricius])

These caterpillars are green with two narrow, white stripes down the side. When mature, the caterpillars are 1¼ inches long. These caterpillars have only three pairs of fleshy prolegs on the abdomen, plus the pair on the posterior end.

Green cloverworm caterpillars move by arching the middle of the body, or “looping.” Young worms scrape leaf tissue, creating a transparent skin, or “window,” on the leaf surface. Older cloverworms eat holes in the leaves.

■  Cabbage Looper (Noctuidae:  Trichoplusia ni  [Hübner])

These caterpillars are light to dark green, with lighter-colored stripes along the sides and top running the length of the body. When mature, the caterpillars are 1½ inches long. These caterpillars have only two pairs of fleshy prolegs on the abdomen, plus the pair on the posterior end.

Cabbage loopers move by arching the middle of the body, or “looping.” Cabbage loopers feed on leaves on the interior and lower portion of the plant. As defoliation occurs, caterpillars feed higher in the plant. Feeding injury is similar to what the green cloverworm causes.

■  Velvetbean Caterpillar (Noctuidae:  Anticarsia gemmatalis  Hübner)

This insect does not overwinter in our area. Instead, moths migrate from southern locations.

These caterpillars have dark lines bordered by light-colored, narrower lines running the length of the body. The background color ranges from a pale yellow green to brown or black. Mature larvae are about 1 inch in length.

Velvetbean caterpillars have four pairs of fleshy prolegs, which help distinguish them from green cloverworm and the cabbage looper caterpillars. Young velvetbean caterpillars feed on the underside of the leaves in the upper portion of the plant. Older larvae consume the entire leaf except for the leaf veins.

■  Thistle Caterpillar (Nymphalidae:  Vanessa cardui  [Linnaeus])

This caterpillar is the larva of the Painted Lady butterfly. This butterfly does not overwinter in the region but migrates from southern locations each spring.

Thistle caterpillars are brown to black, with yellow stripes along each side of the body. They are covered with scoli (fleshy structures) that give the caterpillar a prickly appearance. Fully grown larvae are about 1½ inches long. The caterpillars feed on the leaves, webbing them together at the feeding site.

■  Alfalfa Webworm (Crambidae:  Loxostege cereralis  [Zeller])

These caterpillars are 1 inch long when fully grown and feed for about three weeks. They are greenish to nearly black, with a light stripe that runs down the middle of the back. They have three dark spots, each with hairs, on the side of each segment.

Infestations are characterized by light webbing over the leaves. The larvae feed beneath the web, consuming the leaves. These larvae move very rapidly, forward or backward, when disturbed.

Threshold for foliage-feeding caterpillars: Control of these different caterpillars normally is not warranted until greater than 25% to 30% of the foliage is destroyed. This usually requires an average infestation of 10 to 15 larvae per foot of row.

Grasshoppers

(Orthoptera: Acrididae)

In the northern Plains, the grasshopper egg hatch normally begins in late April to early May. Most grasshoppers emerge from eggs deposited in uncultivated ground.

Bean growers should expect to find grasshoppers feeding first along bean field margins adjacent to these sites. Later infestations may develop when grasshopper adults migrate from harvested small-grain fields.

Grasshoppers will attack leaves and pods. Due to these migrations, bean fields become sites for significant egg laying.

“Threatening” is considered the action threshold for grasshoppers. Because estimating the number of grasshoppers per square yard is difficult when population densities are high, pest managers can use four 180-degree sweeps with a 15-inch sweep net, which is equivalent to the number of adult (or nymph) grasshoppers per square yard.

Potato Leafhopper

(Hemiptera: Cicadellidae:  Empoasca fabae  [Harris])

Potato leafhoppers are a key pest of dry edible beans. They do not overwinter in our area. Adult leafhoppers migrate from southeastern states during the spring and early summer.

Large numbers of adults may appear early in the season if weather conditions favor their migration into North Dakota and Minnesota. Adult potato leafhoppers can move from cut alfalfa fields, a preferred host, to dry bean fields quickly.

The adult is  1 / 8  inch long, wedge-shaped and pale green. Adults are very active, jumping or flying when disturbed. Nymphs resemble the adults but are smaller and wingless. Adults and nymphs will run backward or sideways rapidly.

Females lay eggs inside the stem. Nymphs hatch from the eggs in seven to 10 days, and usually complete their growth in two to three weeks on the leaf where they hatched, feeding on the underside of the leaf. Because nymphs are not as mobile as adults, they are regarded as the more damaging life stage to the bean plant.

Adults and nymphs feed on plant sap and inject a toxic saliva during feeding. Foliage becomes dwarfed, crinkled and curled. Small triangular brown areas appear at the tips of leaves, gradually spreading around the entire leaf margin. This feeding injury caused by leafhoppers is referred to as “hopper burn.”

Scouting should begin early June. Examine five sets of 20 trifoliolate leaves on randomly selected plants throughout the field. Potato leafhoppers typically are found on the underside of leaves.

When counting leafhoppers, cup your hands under the leaves and leafhoppers will move to the upper leaf surface for easier counting. Count and record adults and nymphs per trifoliolate leaf and calculate an average numbers of leafhoppers (adult and nymph) per trifoliolate leaf.

The threshold for spray decisions is an average of  0.5 leafhopper per plant in unifoliolate stage beans . On plants with one or more fully expanded trifoliate leaves, treat when  one leafhopper per trifoliolate leaf is found . Do not let infestations and damage progress to the point that yellowing of foliage is observed easily.

Seedcorn Maggot

(Diptera: Anthomyiidae:  Delia platura  [Meigen])

Larvae of the seedcorn maggot attack bean seeds, which weakens seedlings and even may prevent germination. The yellowish-white maggot is found burrowing in the seed or emerging stem.

Flies emerge in the spring when soil temperatures reach 50 F. They deposit eggs in soil with abundant organic matter and decaying crop residue, or on the seed or seedling.

Seedcorn maggots are usually most severe in wet, cold springs and on high organic-matter soils. Tillage performed just prior to planting has been shown to attract flies to these sites for egg laying.

When conditions are wet and cool or planting into high crop-residue conditions, insecticide seed treatments provide the best defense against infestation and injury.

Two-spotted Spider Mites

(Acari: Tetranychidae:  Tetranychus urticae  Koch)

Spider mites are small, and a hand lens is required to see them. A quick sampling procedure to determine whether mites are present is to hold a piece of white paper below the leaves and gently beat them to dislodge the mites. The mites appear as tiny dust specks; however, they will move after being knocked off the leaf.

Mites feed on the individual plant cells, removing the green chloroplast, which results in small yellow spots (stippling) on leaves. As feeding activity increases, leaves become yellow, bronzed or brown and eventually shed from the plant. Mite webbing may be present on plants as mites balloon on webs to disperse among plants and between fields.

Mites usually become a problem when hot, dry weather occurs. Infestations typically are noted first near field edges. Dry conditions stress the plants, whether mites are present or not.

If conditions continue, treating for mites is no guarantee plants will recover. In addition, products labeled for mite control often do not give adequate control, and the population of mites may rebound quickly to pretreatment levels or higher.

When rain and humidity are present, natural reductions in mite populations occur due to infection by fungal pathogens. Conditions that are good for the development of pathogens are temperatures cooler than 85 F, with at least 90% relative humidity for 12 to 24 hours.

Deciding whether to treat is difficult. No specific threshold has been developed for two-spotted spider mites in dry edible beans. Sample plants at least 100 feet into the field and walk in a “U” pattern, sampling two plants per location at 20 different locations.  A general action threshold is to treat when the lower one-fourth to one-third of the canopy has mite damage symptoms (yellowing canopy) and/or mites present.

Spider mites are difficult to control and may require two applications of insecticide using different modes of action. Remember to use an organophosphate insecticide (for example, Dimethoate) rather than a pyrethroid insecticide to avoid flaring mite populations. However, the only exception is the active ingredient bifenthrin (a pyrethroid), which does not flare mite populations and provides control of mites.

Reasons for the increase in mite populations from some pyethroids include: disruption of the natural enemies that control spider mites (predatory mites), increased movement of mites out of fields and increased reproductive rates of female mites. Early detection facilitates timely and effective rescue treatments.

Insecticides provide short-term protection, maybe seven days, from the spider mites. Fields will need to be monitored continually for resurging populations. The efficacy of an insecticide can be improved significantly with sufficient water coverage (greater than 18 gallons per acre [GPA]) by ground and 3 to 5 GPA by air and application at high pressure to penetrate foliage.

For insecticide-resistance management of mites, do not apply the same class of insecticide (or mode of action) more than twice, and alternate the class of the insecticides (or mode of action) to prevent buildup of insecticide-resistant mite strains.

(Coleoptera: Elateridae)

Wireworms are most likely to be a problem when dry edible beans follow pasture, land in the Conservation Reserve Program or grassland. Infestations often are found in coarse-textured soils (sandy loam) where moisture is abundant, perhaps in low spots of fields.

No easy way exists to estimate wireworm infestations. The following are two methods used:

1)  Soil sampling:  Sample 20 well-spaced 1-square-foot sites to a depth of 4 to 6 inches for every 40 acres being planted.  If an average of one wireworm per square foot is found, treatment would be justified.

2)  Solar baiting : In September, establish bait stations for two to three weeks before freeze-up. Place bait stations randomly through the field but representing all areas of the field. You should have 10 to 12 stations per 40 acres. Place 1 cup of wheat and 1 cup of shelled corn in a 4- to 6-inch-deep hole. Cover the grain with soil and then an 18-inch-square piece of clear plastic. Dig up the grain and surrounding soil after one to two weeks or leave until spring.  If an average of one or more wireworm larvae is found per station, treatment would be justified.

Seed Treatment:  Insecticide seed treatments should be applied as commercial or on-farm application for managing wireworms in dry edible beans.

Irrigation and Water Use

Tom Scherer , NDSU Extension Agricultural Engineer

For maximum yield potential, dry beans will use about 14 to 18 inches of soil moisture during the growing season, depending on the cultivar. With good management, irrigation can supplement rain to provide optimum soil moisture conditions throughout the growing season.

For those years where the growing season-available water (soil moisture plus rain) is less the 14 to 18 inches, each additional inch of water provided by irrigation will result in an additional 150 to 300 pounds of yield, depending on bean class and cultivar.

Daily dry bean water use or evapotranspiration (ET) depends on the stage of growth, local weather conditions, available soil moisture, disease pressure and soil fertility. Plant architecture (Type I, II, III and IV) also will affect the daily dry bean water use. Generally, the larger, bushier dry bean types will use more water than the shorter, narrow types.

The frequency and amount of irrigation depends on the growth stage of the beans (which determines the daily crop water use), the water-holding capacity of the soil in the root zone and the prevailing weather conditions.

Dry Bean Rooting Depth and Water Use

Beans are shallow rooted. Typically, in deep soils, roots grow laterally 8 to 12 inches and downward to a depth of 3 feet or more.

Root distribution is concentrated near the soil surface. About 90% of the roots will be found in the top 2 feet, which is considered the effective rooting depth for irrigation purposes. During the course of a growing season, only about 10% of the water used by the beans will be drawn from the soil below 2 feet.

Average bean water use rates will increase from about 0.05 inch per day soon after emergence to more than 0.25 inch per day during pod development (Figure 3). The bean water use amounts include the evaporation from the soil surrounding the plants. Water use is a depth measurement because the assumption is that the beans remove soil water from under every square foot of soil surface in the field.

The depth and water-holding capacity of the soil have a great influence on when and how often irrigation is required. Soil texture determines the amount of available water in the root zone (Table 19), although other factors such as organic matter and soil compaction will modify these numbers. Note that the greater the water-holding capacity of the soil in the root zone, the less frequent the irrigation applications should be.

Knowing the soil texture and water-holding capacity of the dominant soil type in a field and using that information to make irrigation decisions is important. However, if different soil types are in the same field, irrigation scheduling should be adjusted based on the most drought-prone soil type.

Irrigation Water Management

Having a soil profile that is near field capacity at planting, which occurs naturally with normal fall and spring rainfall, together with some winter snowmelt, is highly desirable. Stored soil moisture lower in the root zone serves as a supplement during high water-use periods.

Beans planted on shallow soils (12 to 18 inches of top soil) underlain by coarse sand and gravel will have a reduced root zone. That means less soil moisture is stored and available to the plants. Sometimes, this requires applying less per irrigation (0.75 inch) more frequently, compared with deeper soils with greater water-holding capacity.

During the period prior to flowering and the period after the majority of the pods are full, dry beans are relatively drought-tolerant. They can withstand 50% to 60% soil water depletion without a significant impact on yields (Figure 3). However, during the flowering and pod-development period, soil moisture levels in the root zone should not be depleted more than 50% (preferably 40%) to achieve maximum yields.

The first irrigation should be applied when the soil moisture is between 50% and 60% depleted after emergence. With normal rainfall, this should be when the beans are almost at flowering. After flowering, irrigate before the soil moisture profile reaches 50% depletion.

Beans will mature properly if ample moisture is available during the vegetative growth stage (pre-flowering) and if the last irrigation occurs when the first pods are filling. Late-season irrigations can delay maturity. If the beans are starting to dry, irrigation will not be needed because the beans no longer are removing much water from the soil profile.

Most center pivots should be set to apply from 0.75 to 1 inch of water per revolution, which could take from 2½ to 3½ days. During flowering, monitoring the soil moisture profile frequently is critical because keeping up with the dry bean water use during periods of high temperatures and wind may be difficult. However, if white mold is a concern with rainfall/irrigation occurring during flowering, another strategy could be to fill the soil profile with water prior to flowering and avoid irrigation until pods are set.

Some tips for good irrigation management of beans:

• Irrigations may need to be scheduled to minimize disease problems rather than maximize yield.

• Maturity may be delayed up to 15 days by letting the soil get too dry after planting, and yield potential also will decrease.

• Avoid excessively dry soil levels during the flowering stage. The shock of watering dry soil can cause flowers to fall off the plant.

• Do not irrigate when lower foliage on the plant is still wet from rainfall or irrigation.

• To avoid aiding the development of white mold, do not use light, frequent irrigations. Set your pivot timer to apply 0.75 to 1 inch each irrigation event. A wet soil surface contributes to white mold development, especially during flowering.

• Late-season irrigations may delay the final maturity date.

Irrigations can be terminated when at least 80% of the pods show yellowing and are mostly ripe. Another indicator is when 50% of the leaves are yellowing on the plant.

Irrigation Scheduling

Determining when to start and stop an irrigation system is a very important part of irrigation water management. Soil in the root zone is the reservoir that stores water for a crop’s use.

Soil moisture levels in the root zone are the criteria used to determine when to start and stop irrigations. Several soil moisture monitoring tools are available to estimate the soil moisture level at a particular time and location in the field.

Soil moisture estimates can be done several ways. The “soil feel” method is the most widely used. It involves using a soil probe to obtain a soil sample from specific depths in the root zone, and the amount of soil moisture is estimated by squeezing the soil in the palm of your hand. Accuracy of the soil feel method improves with experience.

Soil moisture also can be measured using tensiometers, soil moisture blocks and other devices. When these are used, typically a measurement site may have two sensors, one at 12 inches and one at 18 to 24 inches below the soil surface. The soil moisture level is estimated by reading a gauge on the device or with a portable meter. These devices only indicate the soil moisture status at that particular location.

Measuring soil moisture for irrigation scheduling requires a high level of dedication by the irrigation manager during the growing season. Informed irrigation decisions require reading soil moisture measurements two or three times per week. Measurements must be taken at several locations in the field and the readings recorded.

Another form of irrigation scheduling requires daily bean water-use estimates. This method, sometimes called the “crop water use replacement method,” is based on obtaining daily estimates of bean water use and measuring rainfall amounts. Irrigations are scheduled to replace the amount of soil moisture used by the beans minus the amount of rain received since the last irrigation. Estimations of average water use for beans based on maximum daily temperature are shown in Table 20.

During the growing season, better dry bean water use estimates can be obtained from the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network (NDAWN) website:  ndawn.ndsu.nodak.edu/crop-water-use.html . Look under “Applications” on the left-hand menu. These estimates are based on the weather station closest to your field location.

The best choice of tools for irrigation scheduling is a combination of in-field soil moisture measurement and a recorded daily soil water accounting procedure called the “checkbook” method. Three different checkbook tools are available at  www.ag.ndsu.edu/irrigation/irrigation-scheduling .

The checkbook method has been used successfully for many years in Minnesota and North Dakota. The checkbook method is based on daily bean water use and the soil water-holding capacity. Along with rainfall measurement, these parameters help predict the time and amount of water needed to replenish the root zone to maintain proper soil moisture levels.

Harvesting Dry Beans

John Nowatzki,  NDSU Extension Agricultural Machine Systems Specialist

Estimating Bean Yield

Bean yields can be estimated by knowing the number of seeds per pod, pods per plant and plants per 1/1,000 of an acre. At the time of counting seeds and pods, the maturity status of each should be determined.

If a seed or pods appear not to mature, they shouldn’t be counted. Count the total plants per 1/1,000 acre to complete the data collection. An accurate estimate of plant population per acre can be obtained by counting the number of plants in a length of row equal to 1/1,000 of an acre. Make at least five counts in separate representative areas of the field, calculate the average of these samples and then multiply this number by 1,000.

Within a representative and uniform plant stand, randomly select five plants each from at least five randomly selected locations in the field. Keeping all plant data separate, pull and count the pods from each plant and then count the seeds to determine average seeds per pod for all five replications. These data are combined with the average number of plants per 1/1,000 acre.

Seeds per pound can vary 10% to 20% for different cultivars within a bean class. If available, use reported estimates for seed number per pound for your cultivar. The accuracy of yield estimates can be improved by counting seeds and pods from at least 10 plants per replication.

(Average seeds per pod) x (average pods per plant) equals average seeds per plant.

(Average seeds per plant) x (plants per 1/1,000 of an acre) x (1,000) divided by seeds per pound of the cultivar equals yield in pounds per acre. Use data in Table 6 for the range in seed weights by class to arrive at seeds per pound if cultivar seeds per pound are unknown.

Bean harvesting is done by one of two ways: undercutting, windrowing and combining from the windrow or straight combining. Beans should be harvested at the 15% to 18% moisture level to minimize splitting and seedcoat damage.

Harvesting at lower moisture levels may result in an excessive percentage of split beans and checked/cracked seedcoats. Beans with damaged seedcoats may split with further handling.

Harvest beans before a killing frost. Frozen immature beans are difficult to separate in processing, while unfrosted immature bean seeds will shrink during drying and can be separated.

Beans are ready for harvest when some of the pods are dry and when the majority of pods have turned yellow. The nearly mature beans in the yellow pods will continue to ripen after they are cut. Too many dry pods at harvest will result in heavy shattering.

Shattering can be reduced by undercutting and windrowing at night or early in the morning when the plants are damp with dew. All bean classes, but especially whites, require a harvest period relatively free from rain to avoid seed discoloration.

Undercutting and Windrowing

Undercutting and windrowing often are used to harvest Type III and IV (indeterminate) cultivars. Dry beans may be undercut and windrowed in two separate operations or as a single operation.

Blade type undercutters knife the plant root 1 to 2 inches below the soil surface while the bean rod breaks partially cut roots and lifts the plants from the soil. The number of rows to be placed in one windrow will depend on the density of the crop and the size of the combine used. Leave beans in the windrow only long enough for the lower stem and attached plant parts to dry sufficiently for combining.

Direct Harvesting

Bush type beans may be harvested with a straight-cut attachment on a combine. Combines equipped with flexible cutter bars and pickup reels operate much closer to the soil and save more seed, compared with a conventional grain table. Most field losses are caused by pods being cut by the cutter bar or the cutter bar operating at an incorrect speed.

Previous equipment developments include replacing or supplementing the pickup reel with an air reel to help move plants across the cutter bar. Research has shown that field losses with conventional straight-cut type headers can range from 20% to 40% of the yield. Grower experiences with direct-cut headers suggest that the addition of an air reel and supplemental lifter guards to a flexible cutter bar can reduce loss to 5% to 15% of the total yield.

Direct harvest reduces equipment investment, harvest time and operational costs but is associated with reduced seed yield and quality. Direct harvesting is common for navy and black beans, due to their upright architecture. Direct harvest is also used with some pinto and great northern cultivars due to improved upright architecture.

Field surveys at harvest time were conducted across three counties in the Devils Lake region in North Dakota. The average seed loss was higher for direct harvesting than for the conventional method (undercut and windrowed prior to combining) mainly due to a larger seed and pod loss measured in the area between combine harvest swaths, indicating losses occurred at the cutter bar.

The best three conventional harvested fields averaged 24 pounds per acre (lb/acre) of harvest loss, while the three worst fields averaged 219 lb/acre of harvest loss. The best three direct-harvested fields averaged 101 lb/acre of harvest loss, while the three worst fields averaged 347 lb/acre of harvest loss.

These surveys suggest that the loss can be lowered significantly by improving management conditions, especially at harvest (equipment setup and operator care). Experiments were conducted (Carrington Prosper and Hatton, N.D.) to evaluate the effect of seed yield and market class (pinto, navy and black) on the most commonly grown cultivars in North Dakota and Minnesota under conditions of conventional and direct harvest. Harvest method and cultivar were consistently the most important factors contributing to seed yield and yield loss in this study.

As expected, the seed loss was significantly higher under direct harvest. Under conventional harvesting, no difference occurred in seed yield among cultivars within market class. However, under direct harvest, from three tested cultivars per market class, the cultivars Lariat (pinto), T-39 and Eclipse (black) and Vista (navy) showed the lowest yield loss when compared with the other cultivars within the same market class.

This research emphasized the important role of cultivar and environmental conditions at harvest time in determining the seed yield under direct harvest. Cultivar selection should not be based only on yield potential but also on architectural attributes leading to a minimal yield loss if the direct-harvest method is used. Growers need to consider the cultivar to be planted, environmental conditions, moisture content of the beans at harvest, adjustments to the equipment and operator skill when deciding on the harvest method to use.

Combine Operation

Grain combines frequently are used for harvesting beans, but growers with large acreages often use special bean combines. These usually have two cylinders specifically designed for bean threshing and special separating and cleaning units. These special combines do not contain augers and usually move beans with conveyor belts or bucket elevators.

Conventional combines with rasp-bar cylinders work well for beans. Rotary-cylinder combines also work well, causing less damage to seed. Rotary combines should be equipped with special dry bean rotors and the appropriate threshing bar configuration to provide optimum threshing and separation.

Combining should begin when beans reach 18% moisture content. Combine cylinders should be operated initially at a speed as recommended in the operators manual and then adjusted on a regular basis as conditions change. Some machines may need special speed reducers to obtain proper speed.

Cylinder speeds will vary among combines because diameters of cylinders and rotors vary from 17 inches up to 30 inches or more. Setting the cylinder speed as slow as possible and checking to be sure that pods are threshed to allow bean removal usually is best. Excessive cylinder speeds will cause excessive splits and checking.

Reducing the cylinder speed as the day progresses is necessary to compensate for additional drying. Also, as beans dry down, the distance between cylinder or rotor to concave should be increased. Check the operators manual for recommended cylinder speed and concave settings and then adjust accordingly.

Harvesting only during the morning and evening when the pods are tough may be necessary to hold shattering losses to a minimum and reduce the number of split beans and damaged seedcoats. Feed the combine cylinder to near maximum capacity without overloading.

Use a faster travel speed or put more rows in the windrow to maintain feeding of the combine to full capacity. The additional residue going through the threshing mechanism will cushion the beans and reduce damage.

Set the adjustable chaffer at 5/8 inch and the sieve at 7/16 inch. This should allow the threshed beans and some pods to fall through the chaffer, and the cleaning sieve will allow only threshed beans to fall through to the grain auger.

Use a relatively high fan speed and direct the blast toward the forward one-third of the cleaning shoe because crop density is the same as it is for wheat. Check the operators manual for specific recommendations.

Check the tailings return periodically to note the quantity and composition of the material being returned to the cylinder for rethreshing. Threshed beans in the tailing return indicate that the adjustable chaffer is set too tightly. Completely threshed beans returning through the auger for rethreshing generally increases the amount of split beans and checked seedcoats.

Look in the grain tank for dirt and foreign material and for beans that are split or have damaged seedcoats. Excess dirt and chaff generally indicate that the adjustable sieve is adjusted too widely or that the fan blast is inadequate or improperly directed.

Excessive seedcoat checks and splits generally indicate one or more of the following:

• The cylinder speed is too high.

• The cylinder/rotor to concave clearance is too small.

• Too many concave filler bars or grates are being used.

• Too many completely threshed beans are being returned through the tailings system.

Most combine manufacturers have a number of optional accessories available for use on beans. These usually are bean sieves, or screens placed in the grain pan and along elevator tubes. These help remove dirt and foreign material from the beans.

Always handle dry beans gently. Avoid dropping beans from great heights in unloading and handling. Bean seed checks and cracks when dropped, particularly on hard surfaces, when it is dry. Cushion or deflect the fall of beans whenever possible. Keep elevator flight chains snug so that flights do not ride on beans.

Measurement of Harvest Loss

John Nowatzki , NDSU Extension Agricultural Machine Systems Specialist

Juan Osorno , NDSU Dry Bean Breeder/Geneticist

Measuring field loss during harvest is relatively easy. Five simple steps can provide a good harvest loss estimate:

1. Locate three random sites in the field.

2. At each site, outline an area that is 1 foot in the direction of equipment travel and is as wide as the effective width of the implement. For example, if a combine is picking up windrows containing 12 30-inch rows, the width of the measurement area should be 30 feet. Examine the entire width of the implement pass, not just behind the threshing section of the combine, where loss can be concentrated.

3. Search the soil surface and through any soil loosened by harvest implements within the outlined area for seeds and unthreshed pods. Count all bean seeds.

4. Divide the number of seeds found by the number of square feet within the outlined area. This will provide the average number of bean seeds lost per square foot. Take an average of the three areas sampled within the field.

5. Use Table 22 to convert the average number of seeds lost per square foot to pounds of seed lost per acre for specific seed sizes.

For example, if a sampled area over the full effective width of an implement pass averaged one pinto bean seed per square foot, the field loss would be approximately 36 lb/acre, assuming 1,200 seeds/lb (from Table 22). To estimate the seed loss for three seeds/square foot for the same seed size of 1,200 seeds/lb, multiply 3 seeds by 1 by 36 lb/acre = 108 lb/acre field loss.

Another method that is easier but not as accurate is to take a 1-square-foot frame, randomly lay it on the ground and count the seeds inside the frame. If you do this at four or five places in the field, you will get a good estimate of seed loss.

Do some loss counts at places away from directly behind the combine as well as behind the combine. Making all counts directly behind the combine will give an excessively high seed loss count.

Multiply the average number of seeds lost per square foot x 43,560 (square feet per acre) and divide by the number of seeds per pound. Use Table 6 to determine the number of seeds per pound for different market classes.

Drying, Storing and Handling Dry Edible Beans

Ken Hellevang,  NDSU Extension Agricultural Engineer

Research has shown pinto beans should be stored at temperatures of 40 F or cooler to maintain color and cooking quality. The Hunter-L values, a measure of the lightness, for beans stored at specific temperatures and moisture contents are shown on Table 23. Lower numbers indicate a darker color.

After 10 months of storage, pinto bean cooking times of 16% and 18% moisture beans stored at 20 F were only 1.2 times longer than before storage and at 40 F were 1.7 times longer, as shown in Table 24. Pin cooking time is the elapsed time from initiation of cooking until the piercing tip of the rod placed in contact with the surface of each bean has penetrated the seeds in the cooker. Faster cooking times are desired.

If beans cannot be kept cool, the moisture content must be low enough to permit storage without deterioration at typical summer temperatures. The recommended moisture content for beans to minimize the growth of mold is about 13% at 70 F. Pinto beans darken rapidly when exposed to light, so they should be stored in a dark environment.

Following good storage management practices, such as measuring the temperature and moisture content of the beans at least every two weeks during fall, spring and summer and monthly during the winter is important. Whenever more than a 10-degree differential occurs between the average outdoor temperature and the bean temperature during the fall, the beans should be cooled with aeration. This should continue until the beans are cooled at least to 40 F for short-term storage and about 25 F for long-term storage.

To minimize the potential for mechanical damage, beans should be handled at moisture contents of about 16% or greater and at warm temperatures. Research shows that the potential for mechanical damage of pinto and navy beans increases at bean moisture contents of about 15% or lower (see Table 25). Research also shows that the potential for mechanical damage of pinto and navy beans increases at lower bean temperatures (see Table 26).

Belt conveyors are preferred due to their gentleness in conveying. A bean ladder should be used inside storage bins to reduce impact damage. The speed of auger rotation should be reduced and augers operated “full” to minimize damage. Elevator legs need to be adapted for handling beans, including reducing the discharge velocity and utilizing a method of gently slowing the beans at the bottom of sprouts.

Natural air drying will work well for drying edible beans during mid-September to mid-October in North Dakota. Based on average climatic conditions, the beans are expected to dry to about 12% to 14% moisture if the fans are operated continuously. Shutting fans off during the warmest and driest part of the day will permit drying the beans to about 15% to 16%, but will lengthen the drying time.

Fans should run during the night with higher humidity to permit drying the beans nearer to the desired final bean moisture content. Refer to equilibrium moisture content tables to estimate the moisture content to which the beans will dry based on air temperature and relative humidity.

Adding supplemental heat reduces the final moisture content of the beans and likely will result in beans dried to a moisture content lower than desired. Shut fans off during foggy or rainy weather, but do not leave the fan off for more than a couple of days to minimize the potential for bean spoilage. Recommended minimum airflow rates for various moisture contents and the corresponding estimated drying times are shown in Table 27.

The static pressure associated with moving air through pinto and navy beans is equivalent to that of soybeans. Design the drying system using the data for soybeans.

Beans require special care when drying with a high-temperature column dryer. The relative humidity of the drying air should not be lower than about 30%. Normally, the drying should occur with the air heated less than about 20 degrees above the outdoor air temperature to keep the relative humidity above 30%.

The beans need to be monitored continuously to assure they are not being damaged. The drying process needs to be slow to minimize damage to the beans and will be slow in comparison with drying cereal grain.

Production Contracts

Frayne Olson , NDSU Extension Crops Economist

Production contracts are common in the dry bean industry. This section provides a brief overview of key contract provisions that should be reviewed and understood before entering into a production contract.

Understand what you are signing:  Reading and understanding contract provisions always is important because they describe the rights and responsibilities of both parties in the agreement. Considerable differences can occur in contract terms among companies and contract provisions often change through time. Discussing contract provisions with the buyer before signing a contract can prevent misunderstandings and help maintain a strong working relationship.

Production requirements:  Most dry bean production contracts specifically require the farmer (seller) to use accepted agronomic production practices and apply only registered crop protection products. Some contracts also include a list of acceptable cultivars or require the seed be purchased from the company (buyer). Because beans are used as human food, the expectation is that food safety standards and testing will become more stringent in the future. Stricter food safety requirements likely will lead to contracts including more detailed production provisions.

Act-of-God clause:  Some dry bean contracts contain an Act-of-God clause, which releases the farmer (seller) from the terms of the contract due to an act of God, such as hail, drought, flood or disease. An Act-of-God clause normally only covers the production shortfall below the contracted amount. The farmer (seller) is still expected to deliver the available production from the contracted acres.

The farmer (seller) must notify the company (buyer) as soon as possible when a potential production problem occurs to ensure that this contract provision is enacted. Many contracts require the farmer to provide written notice within 10 days of an event.

Grading and quality standards:  The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Federal Grain Inspection Service standards are the core standards used to trade dry beans. However, some domestic and international end users are beginning to request more detailed grading and quality specifications. Grading and quality specifications should be clearly listed in the contract. If they are not, be sure to ask the buyer for a copy of the grading and quality standards that will be used.

Delivery period:  Production contracts typically require delivery at harvest, during a pre-specified delivery period or on a “buyer’s-call” basis. Harvest delivery refers to delivery directly from the field to the agreed-upon delivery point during the normal harvest period. This is the most common type of contract in the dry bean industry. Buyers in other crop sectors commonly offer alternative prices for pre-specified delivery windows, such as the first half of October, to better match deliveries with expected shipments. Buyer’s-call refers to an open-ended delivery schedule in which the company (buyer) will determine the delivery period and schedule deliveries with the farmer (seller) when needed. Buyer’s-call typically requires the farmer to store the contracted production until delivery is requested.

Pricing and payment:  Dry bean production contracts typically use a fixed-base price for the contracted production. Price premiums or discounts can be used to adjust for grade and quality differences, but the specific premium or discount rates normally are not known until the time of delivery. Payment generally is made a short time after all of the contracted production has been delivered. However, delayed payment or deferred payment options often are available.

Bean Directory

Plant diagnostic labs, ndsu plant diagnostic lab.

Waldron Hall, Room 206

P.O. Box 6050, Dept. 7660

Fargo, ND 58108-6050

Phone: 701-231-7854

Email: [email protected]

www.ag.ndsu.edu/pdl

University of Minnesota Plant Disease Clinic

495 Borlaug Hall

1991 Upper Buford Circle

St. Paul, MN 55108

Phone: 612-625-1275

Email: [email protected]

https://pdc.umn.edu

Seed Testing Labs

North dakota state seed lab.

1313 18th St. N.

P.O. Box 5257

Fargo, ND 58105

Phone: 701-231-5400

www.nd.gov/seed/index.aspx

Minnesota State Seed Lab

Dept. of Agriculture

601 Robert St. N.

St. Paul, MN 55155-2135

Phone: 651-201-6604

www.mda.state.mn.us

Northarvest Bean Growers Association

50072 E. Lake Seven Road

Frazee, MN 56544

Phone: 218-334-6351

Email: [email protected]

www.northarvestbean.org

Extension Specialists

North dakota state university.

NDSU Extension

www.ag.ndsu.edu/extension

Agribusiness and Applied Economics (701) 231-7441

Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (701) 231-7261

Entomology (701) 231-7915

Plant Pathology (701) 231-8363

Plant Sciences (701) 231-7971

Soil Science (701) 231-8901

University of Minnesota

U of M Extension  www.extension.umn.edu

Agronomy (612) 625-7773,  agronomy.cfans.umn.edu

Ag Economics (612) 625-1222,  www.apec.umn.edu

Ag Engineering (612) 625-5200,  bbe.umn.edu

Entomology (612) 624-3636,  www.entomology.umn.edu

Plant Pathology (612) 625-8200,  plpa.cfans.umn.edu

Soil Science (612) 625-1244,  www.swac.umn.edu

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North Dakota State University is distinctive as a student-focused, land-grant, research university. NDSU Agriculture educates students with interests in agriculture, food systems and natural resources; fosters communities through partnerships that educate the public; provides creative, cost-effective solutions to current problems; and pursues fundamental and applied research to help shape a better world.

Business Planning Zimbabwe

Pre-Written Business Plans

• Business Plans

Guide To Starting A Profitable Sugar Beans Farming Business And The Business Plan

Sugar beans farming business is common in Zimbabwe attracting 85% of the total farming population. The crop is a very nutritious grain legume which is rich in protein. Its leaves, green pods, young and mature seeds are edible and the crop residues are good feed for livestock or compost manure. The sugar bean crop performs superbly well within its planting season. It can generate a return on investment of about $2,5 -$3 on every dollar invested.

Since 2019, sugar bean production has been on the rise and a total of 12000 metric tones was produced in that year. In 2021 the total sugar bean yield reached an estimated 31 000 metric tones which resemble a two fold increase in output over 2 years. Sugar beans have a ready market largely owing to the fact that it is an important source of vegetable protein. The crop is also used in some manufacturing processes of select products. In recognition of these benefits, the government of Zimbabwe, through the Ministry of health and child development, has been on a drive to promote sugar beans production and its consumption as a substitute for beef.

Rain fed sugar beans is cultivated during the rainy season and it is encouraged that farmers take the time to inform themselves about the impending weather patterns. Sugar bean farming in Zimbabwe occupy an average area of 32,786 hectares and its subsequent planting often begins in the month of October and extends for five months until the month of March. Smallholder sugar bean farmers are found in all agro-ecological zones.

While sugar bean production is lucrative, its production in Zimbabwe is prone to a number challenges which could hinder optimum yields. Such challenges include insect infestations as well as disease and climate related constraints. As a result, you will require sufficient knowledge regarding the growing, management and marketing of the sugar bean crop. It is therefore the intention of this article to outline some basic steps in stating a sugar beans farming business. For comprehensive analysis of the maize farming industry, consider getting the sugar beans farming business plan package for just US$10 payable via ecocash.

While sugar beans production has improved the financial fortunes of diligent farmers, startups in the venture can take some time to learn more about the basics to growing and managing the crop. In farming, planning is everything, and where you fail to plan you are setting yourself up for imminent failure. Therefore, you should begin by assuring yourself that you will see the business through despite any possible setbacks you might encounter. Afterwards make a solid resolution about the inputs you are going to use in setting up and operating the business.

Sugar bean farming inputs are: land, labor, chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Your financial muscle will directly determine the extent to which you will utilize the above mentioned inputs. With regards to labour, the use of hired labour varies by agro-ecological zones as well as with production technology. Hence you will always have to decide on what suites you the most.

Plan Before Starting A Sugar Beans Farming Business

As with any other business, prior market research is critical. You need to conduct a market research so as to ascertain the demand potential of your select market. From this research you will also ascertain the possible selling price of your sugar beans as well as ascertain your target market.

Customers for sugar beans include, but are not limited to, food processors, middlemen spread across vegetable markets, boarding schools and retail outlets. From your diligent planning and research you should be able to know what each subgroup of your customers requires. Any planning process should be captured on paper. You are therefore encouraged that you should conclude your planning process by writing a sugra bean business plan which will act as a guide as you venture into the trend.

Land Required For A Profitable Sugar Beans Farming Business

Sugar beans perform optimally when planted on fertile to moderately fertile land with a gentle slope that prevents water logging. Good sugar bean farming is always determined by good land selection and preparation. When preparing the land ensure that you exercise deep ploughing so as to aid in drainage while ensuring for a fine tilth which will ensure for good germination. Fine tilth also enhances a good seed to soil contact. Sugar bean requires soils with a pH range of 5.3 to 6.5. The crop does not tolerate acidic soils hence soil should always be limed if it is acidic. It is thus important that you take your soil for testing, the results of which will inform you of its properties.

All in all, land should have a good soil structure which allows for the plant to efficiently convert soil nutrients.

Inputs Required For Successful Sugar Bean Faming Business

Sugar bean farming requires a number a critical inputs in which the selecting the most appropriate seed is key. There are many sugar bean seed varieties and each comes with its own set of unique properties. Below is a table with some of most common sugar bean varieties cultivated across Zimbabwe.

Farmers also need to decide on the fertilization program which is often guided by prior sampling. Generally sugar beans require a basal dressing Compound D (250-300kg/ha), Cereal Blend(200-250 kg/ha, Double D (100-150kg/ha) and Single Super Phosphate250kg/ha). Pesticides are also important so as to ensure that you have a successful sugar bean production cycle. Below are some of the common sugar bean pests and diseases you need to be weary of in your farming venture.

Common Sugar Bean Diseases

Angular leaf spot.

This is a fungal disease which causes round lesions on plant primary leaves. This disease is usually observed when plants begin to flower that’s when the lesions appear. These lesions start of grey in colour and they later become dark in appearance as they increase in size.

Bean Common Mosaic

This is a virus transmitted through aphids and the virus survives in seeds. The disease causes the stunting of plants and reduces flowering and ultimately the overall crop yield. The disease causes the development of a light green-yellow and dark green mosaic pattern on the leaves. If left uncontrolled, leaves start to develop blisters and later distorts with a downward curling and rolling of leaves.

Rhizoctonia Root Rot

This is a fungal disease which causes linear or circular reddish/brown sunken lesions. The lesions increase in size and encircle the stem consequently retarding normal plant growth. The fungal disease can cause seedling death, stem cankers, root and stem rot.

Common Pests

In Zimbabwe, sugar beans is commonly affected by pests such as Blister beetle, aphids, bean stem maggot, red spider mite, rootknot nematode and cutworms. It is encouraged to consistently check the field for possible pest damages on plants. Pests have the ability to damage the entire crop hence you cannot afford to take chances when it comes to ensuring for a pest free crop.

Pests are commonly controlled by spraying with insectcides, while larger insects can be hand picked. It is recommended that you wear gloves when picking blister beetles because the insect releases a toxic substance that burns the skin. Below are some pesticides you can consider to use depending on the pest attacking your crop. However, before you decide on the pesticide to use always consult an agronomist first for specific diagnosis.

Labour And Farming Equipment

Sugar bean production comes with tasks that will require that you hire both labour and machinery. You will need machinery and the respective equipment for such things as deep ploughing, chemical application, fertiliser spreading, ridging and irrigation. In most instances farmers opt to hire some of the heavy machinery which is often used only when preparing the land. Buying such machinery may come as an unnecessary expense. You may also decide on securing an irrigation equipment and a well suiting, secure power source. Some will opt for pumps and standby generators for use when there is a power outage.

As with the heavy machinery, you also need to hire temporary farming labour. You will need temporary farm workers for such duties as inoculating been seeds, sprouting, fertiliser application(top dressing), reredging as well as persticiding and herbiciding. For this remember, well paid workers always perform to the best of the their abilities hence you should pay your workers based on the number of days they would have worked on your farm. Depending on the scale of your sugar bean farming, you will need to have a farm supervisor, farm manager, administration and logistics staff.

Know Your Market

As has been mentioned earlier on, there is a growing demand for sugar beans. This partly stems from government`s efforts to promote the consumption of vegetable protein as well as the subsequent growth of the food processing industry. Demand for sugar beans stands at 500 MT per year and some of the top consumers are restuarents, schools, hotels and event companies among many others.

The Sugar Beans Farming Business Plan

Our sugar beans business plan is tailor made for individuals seeking detailed and most recent information about sugar beans farming in Zimbabwe. You can purchase the sugar beans farming business plan for just US$10 payable via Ecocash. You can either get it as a pre-written document or request for a customised version of the business plan at an extra charge. The customised business plan requires that you furnish us with your specific details and area of interest. Our sugar beans business plan is bankable and contains information on how to successfully manage your production cycles, and prepare for future possible risks associated with the business.

With our business plan, you will ultimately find it easy to plan and budget for your sugar beans farming business. It will help you better navigate the sugar beans value chain so you may be able to strategically position your farming business for improved profitability. As the old saying goes, failing to plan equates to planning to fail. With our sugar beans production business plan, you will be fully informed of what is needed to successfully operate a sugar beans agribusiness.

The Business Plan Contents

Our business plan contains following subsections as listed below and more:

• Operational Requirements
• Planning For Sustainable Farming
• Target Market Analysis
• Marketing Strategy
• Advertising & Promotion Plans
• Competition Analysis
• SWOT analysis
• PSTEL Analysis
• Risk Analysis
• Financial Statements

Purchasing The Sugar Beans Farming Business Plan

You can get a soft copy package of the maize farming business plan for just US$10 payable via Ecocash. The business plan package contains 5 files listed below:

1. Sugar beans Farming Business Plan Comprehensive Version – PDF

2. Sugar beans Farming Business Plan Comprehensive Version – WORD

3. Sugar beans Farming Business Plan Short Bank/Grant Application Version – WORD

4. Sugar beans Farming Business Plan Financial Statements – EXCEL

5. A Business Model Design Template – WORD

You will receive the business plan package via email and/or WhatsApp. To make the purchase, contact us first via Call/WhatsApp: +263782 594 434. WhatsApp Link: https://wa.me/message/YNZABXT73VBWF1 [Mobile users Only]

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Castor Farming Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business Plans » Agriculture Sector

Do you want to start a castor farm and need to write a plan? If YES, here is a sample castor farming business plan template & FREE feasibility report.

It is no news that castor bean popularity can be said to be associated with the healthy benefits that comes with using castor oil. Little wonder that the market for castor oil have continued to be on the increase. Castor oil can be used as an irritant / simulative laxative.

Castor oil is a natural emollient and a few drops may also be used to remedy dry skin, as a massage oil, and may benefit hair as a treatment. Castor bean farming is known to be a profitable business and over the years, it has evolved from small scale to a global industry in most countries where it’s carried out.

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Another good news is that you can’t get it wrong. This is so because castor oil is used all over the globe for different purposes.

No doubt, starting a castor bean farming business comes with its own fair share of challenges, but that does not rule out the fact that it is indeed a profitable business venture. An aspiring entrepreneur can either choose to start a castor bean farm on a small scale or on a large scale depending on their financial status.

A Sample Castor Bean Farming Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

Castor bean or castor oil plant which is known as Ricinus communis is a species of perennial flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae.

Its seed is the castor bean, which, despite its name, is not a true bean. Castor is indigenous to the southeastern Mediterranean Basin, Eastern Africa, and india, but is widespread throughout tropical regions (and widely grown elsewhere as an ornamental plant).

Castor seed is the source of castor oil, which has a wide variety of uses. The seeds contain between 40 percent and 60 percent oil that is rich in triglycerides, mainly ricinolein. The seed also contains ricin, a water-soluble toxin, which is also present in lower concentrations throughout the plant.

Farmers in the castor bean farming industry primarily grow castor bean / castor oil tree for industries that make use of castor seeds for the production of food and preservatives, medicine (laxative) naturopathy castor oil, bio-based polyol in the polyurethane industry (coatings), precursor to industrial chemicals , lubrication oil, as feedstock in the production of biodiesel and skin and hair care (cosmetic oil).

The Castor Bean / Castor Oil Plant industry displays a low level of concentration. The industry is highly fragmented; no single castor bean (castor oil plant) farmer / farm holds a lion share of the available market share in the industry., it is not enough to allow the company to dominate the industry.

Castor bean (castor oil plant) farmers are typically niche farmers, operating on small farm land with no more than a few hundred trees. A number of small castor bean (castor oil plant) farmers usually supply low quantities of harvested castor beans to wholesalers that sell the collective quantity of castor beans to manufacturing plants that are into castor oil extractions and processing.

Global castor seed production is around two million tons per year. Leading producing areas are India (with over three-quarters of the global yield), China and Mozambique, and it is widely grown as a crop in Ethiopia . There are several active breeding programs.

Going forward, the Castor Bean / Castor Oil Plant industry is projected to show stronger signs of growth, especially as larger industry players continue to acquire smaller castor bean (castor oil plant) farms while boosting their overall scale of production.

As a matter of fact, with the recent advancement in technology, farmers can now comfortably grow crops such as castor bean s(castor oil plants) in a country where such crops can hardly survive.

Lastly, with commercial castor bean (castor oil plant) farming business, it will pay you not to only cultivate castor bean (castor oil plant) and sell them to production companies who need castor bean (castor oil plant) as raw materials.

You can as well start a complimentary business such as castor oil extraction and processing plant; producing and packaging castor oil et al. The bottom line is that if you have enough farming land (space) and you are interested in maximizing commercial castor bean (castor oil plant) farming, you are sure going to make huge profits from the business.

2. Executive Summary

Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc. is a world class and registered commercial castor bean (castor oil plant) farm that will be based in the outskirt of Pawtucket, Rhode Island – united states. We have done our detailed market research and feasibility studies and we were able to secure a well – situated and suitable farm land to start our commercial castor bean (castor oil plant) farm.

Our commercial castor bean (castor oil plant) farm is a going to be standard commercial castor bean (castor oil plant) farm hence will be involved in both commercial castor bean (castor oil plant) farm cultivation and castor oil extraction, processing and packaging.

We have put plans in place that will help us launch a standard and world – class castor oil processing plant within the first three years of officially running Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc. We will process and package castor oil that they flood the market both in the United States and in other countries of the world; we want to compete with the best in the industry.

Which is why aside from the fact that we’ve secured the required farming land and most of the farming equipment and machines, we have also hired some key employees who are currently undergoing training so as to be able to fit into the ideal picture of the 21 st century commercial castor bean (castor oil plant) farm and castor oil production plant workforce that we want to build.

We are in the castor bean (castor oil plant) farm business because we want to leverage on the vast opportunities available in the commercial farming industry, to contribute our quota in growing the U.S. economy, in national food production, raw materials production for industries, to export agriculture produce from the United States to other countries and over and above to make profit.

Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc. is well positioned to become one of the leading castor beans (castor oil plant) farms in the United States of America, which is why we have been able to source for the best hands and farm machineries to run the farm with.

We have put process and strategies in place that will help us employ best practices when it comes to castor bean (castor oil plant) farm processes and castor oil processing and packaging as required by the regulating bodies in the United States of America.

Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc. is a family business that is owned by Mr. Jake Tyson and his immediate family members. The farm cum business will be fully and single handedly financed by Jake Tyson and his immediate family members.

Before starting Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc., Jake Tyson has worked with some of the leading commercial farms and castor oil processing plants in the United States of America; he has a degree (B.Sc.) in Agriculture Science from University of Rhode Island.

3. Our Products and Services

Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc. is a world class commercial castor bean (castor oil plant) farm that is committed to cultivating castor oil / trees for both the United States’ market and the global market. We will also ensure that we operate a standard castor oil extraction, processing and packaging plant as part of our complimentary business.

We are in this line of business to make profits, and we will ensure that we do all that is allowed by the law of the United States of America to achieve our business goals and objectives. These are the areas we will concentrate on in our castor bean (castor oil plant) farm. If need arises, we will definitely cultivate related crops;

• Growing castor bean (castor oil plant) farm
• Extracting, processing and packaging castor oil

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our vision is to become one of the leading commercial castor beans (castor oil plant) farms and castor oil extracting, processing and packing brand not just in the United States of America but also on the global stage.
• Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc. is a world class castor bean (castor oil plant) farms that is in business to cultivate castor beans (castor oil plant) in commercial quantities and processed castor oil for both the United States market and the international market.
• We want our well – packaged castor oil to flood every nooks and crannies of the United States and other countries of the world.

Our Business Structure

Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc. is an castor bean (castor oil plant) farm that intend starting small in Pawtucket – Rhode Island, but hope to grow big in order to compete favorably with leading commercial castor bean (castor oil plant) farms in the commercial castor bean (castor oil plant) farming industry both in the United States and on a global stage.

We are aware of the importance of building a solid business structure that can support the picture of the kind of world class business we want to own. Which is why we are committed to only hire the best hands in and around Rhode Island.

At Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc., we will ensure that we hire people that are qualified, hardworking, dedicated, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stake holders (the owners, workforce, and customers).

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of ten years or more as agreed by the management of the farm. In view of the above, Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc. have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions;

• Chief Operating Officer

General Farm Manager

Administrator/Accountant

Castor Bean (Castor Oil Plant) Cultivation Manager/Supervisor

• Castor Oil Extraction, Processing and Packaging Plant Manager
• Sales and Marketing Executive
• Field Employees
• Front Desk Officer

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Operating Officer:

• Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and opinions; providing educational opportunities.
• Creating, communicating, and implementing the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
• Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
• Responsible for providing direction for the business
• Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
• Evaluates the success of the organization
• Responsible for the planning, management and coordinating all farm activities across the various sections on behalf of the organization
• Supervise other section managers (castor bean (castor oil plant) cultivation manager and castor oil extraction, processing and packaging manager)
• Ensure compliance during project executions
• Providing advice on the management of farming activities across all section
• Responsible for carrying out risk assessment
• Using IT systems and software to keep track of people and progress of the growth of crops (castor bean (castor oil plant))
• Responsible for overseeing the accounting, costing and sale of farm produce after harvest
• Represent the organization’s interest at various stakeholders’ meetings
• Ensures that farming goals desired result are achieved, the most efficient resources (manpower, equipment, tools and fertilizers and manures et al) are utilized and different interests involved are satisfied.
• Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
• Handles all financial transactions for the company
• Defining job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
• Carrying out staff induction for new team members
• Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
• Oversee the smooth running of the daily farming activities across the various farming sections.
• Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
• Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
• Responsible for administering payrolls
• Ensuring compliance with taxation legislation
• Handles all financial transactions for the farm
• Serves as internal auditor for the farm
• Responsible for managing the castor bean (castor oil plant) cultivation section of the farm
• Supervises other workers within the department
• Work closely with the General Manager to achieve the organizations’ goals and objectives

Castor Oil Processing and Packaging Manager/Supervisor

• Responsible for managing the castor oil extraction, processing and packaging section of the commercial farm

Sales and Marketing Officer

• Identify, prioritize, and reach out to new partners, and business opportunities et al
• Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts
• Writing winning proposal documents, negotiate fees and rates in line with company policy
• Responsible for handling business research, marker surveys and feasibility studies for clients
• Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
• Develop, execute and evaluate new plans for expanding increase sales
• Document all customer contact and information
• Represent the company in strategic meetings
• Help increase sales and growth for the farm

Field Workers/Contract Staff

• Responsible for preparing farm lands for castor bean (castor oil plant) cultivation
• Responsible for watering the crop
• Assist in the extraction, processing and packaging of castor oil
• Weeding or fertilizer and / or pest control application
• Handles farm implements and machines as instructed by the section manager / supervisor
• Assist in handling the harvest of castor beans (castor oil plants)
• Carries out task in line with the stated job description
• Assist in transport working tools and equipment from the farm and back to the designated store room
• Handles any other duties as assigned by the line manager

Client Service Executive/Front Desk Officer

• Welcomes guests and clients to the farm by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
• Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
• Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
• Manages administrative duties assigned by the manager in an effective and timely manner
• Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the company’s products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to clients
• Receives parcels / documents for the organization
• Distribute mails in the organization

6. SWOT Analysis

Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc. do not intend to launch out with trial and error hence the need to conduct a proper SWOT analysis.

We know that if we get it right from the onset, we would have succeeded in creating the foundation that will help us build a standard castor bean (castor oil plant) farm that will favorably compete with leading commercial castor bean (castor oil plant) farms in the United States of America and in the rest part of the world.

We are quite aware that there are several large scale, medium scale and small scale castor bean (castor oil plant) farms all over Pawtucket – Rhode Island and even in the same location where we intend locating ours, which is why we are following the due process of establishing a business.

We know that if a proper SWOT analysis is conducted for our business, we will be able to position our business to maximize our strength, leverage on the opportunities that will be available to us, mitigate our risks and be welled equipped to confront our threats.

Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc. employed the services of an expert HR and Business Analyst with bias in the commercial farming industry to help us conduct a thorough SWOT analysis and to help us create a Business model that will help us achieve our business goals and objectives.

Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc.;

Our strength as an castor bean (castor oil plant) farm is the fact that we have healthy relationships with loads of major players (agriculture merchants who deal in castor beans (castor oil plants) and other production companies that make use of castor oil as raw material) in the commercial farms industry; both suppliers and buyers within and outside of the United States.

We have some of the latest commercial farming machines, tools and castor oil extracting, processing equipment that will help us cultivate castor beans (castor oil plants) and castor oil in commercial quantities with less stress. Aside from our relationship (network) and equipment, we can confidently boast that we have some the most experienced hands in Pawtucket – Rhode Island in our payroll.

Our weakness could be that we are a new castor bean (castor oil plant) farm in the United States, and perhaps the fact that we decided to diversify our farming activities could count against us initial. We are aware of this and from our projection will overcome this weakness with time and turn it to a major advantage for the business.

• Opportunities:

The opportunities that are available to us cannot be quantified, we know that there are loads of production companies that rely on the supply of castor oil from castor bean (castor oil plant) farms both in the United States of America and other parts of the world.

We will ensure that we maximize the opportunities available to commercial castor bean (castor oil plant) farmers. As prices increase with increased demand, castor bean (castor oil plant) farmers will begin to experience revenue growth.

Some of the threats and challenges that we are likely going to face when we start our own castor bean (castor oil plant) farm are global economic downturn that can impact negatively on household spending, bad weather cum natural disasters (draughts, epidemics and flood) – unpredictable weather patterns will continue to dampen demand growth, unfavorable government policies and the arrival of a competitor (a commercial farm that cultivates same crops) as our farms within same location.

So also, decreasing per capita castor oil consumption will hindered growth and profit margins have fluctuated greatly over the past five years.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

Despite the fact that castor beans (castor oil plants) farm has been in existence since time immemorial, which does not in any way make the industry to be over saturated; castor bean (castor oil plant) farmers are exploring new technology to continue to improve the cultivation processes and also castor oil extraction and processing processes; mechanized farming has indeed increased the tons of olives produced by farmers.

The fact that there is always a ready market for castor beans (castor oil plants) and castor oil makes the business highly thriving and profitable.

Another notable trend in this line of business is that more players in the food, fragrance and cosmetics, pharmaceutical and other related production industry are beginning to increase their demand for essential oil as part of their raw materials because of the aromatic nature it adds to their product.

As a matter of fact, castor oil is gaining more ground as part of the materials used in the production of perfumes, cosmetics, soaps and other products, for flavoring food and drink, and for adding scents to incense and household cleaning products amongst others

The price of castor oil plant is typically the most reliable driver of industry performance. It is important to state the part of what affect productivity output in this industry is the fact that castor oil seed farming is vulnerable to unpredictable weather conditions, and the demand for high-quality essential oil in key foreign markets will boost exports.

Lastly, it is a common trend to find standard castor bean (castor oil plant) farmers run a castor oil processing plant business alongside their farm. It is a means of maximizing profits in the business.

8. Our Target Market

It is a known fact that the target market of those who are the end consumer of castor oil in any form and also those who benefits from the business value chain of commercial castor beans (castor oil plants) farming is all encompassing; it is far – reaching.

Almost every household consumes or make use of castor oil in different form. In essence a castor bean (castor oil plant) farmer should be able to sell his or her farm produce to as many people as possible including production companies that make use of castor oil as raw materials.

We will ensure that we position our business to attract consumers of castor oils not just in the United States of America alone but also other parts of the world which is why we will be exporting some of our farm produce either in raw form or processed form to other countries of the world.

Our Competitive Advantage

Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc.  is fully aware that there are competitions when it comes to selling commercial farm produce including castor beans (castor oil plants) all over the globe, which is why we decided to carry out thorough research so as to know how to take advantage of the available market in the United States and in other parts of the world.

We have done our homework and we have been able to highlight some factors that will give us competitive advantage in the marketplace; some of the factors are effective and reliable castor beans (castor oil plants) farming processes that can help us sell our produce at competitive prices, good network and excellent relationship management.

Another competitive advantage that we are bringing to the industry is the fact that we have designed our business in such a way that we will operate an all – round standard commercial castor bean (castor oil plant) farms that will also include castor oil extraction and processing plant. With this, we will be able to take advantage of all the available opportunities within the industry.

Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category (start – ups castor bean (castor oil plant) farms) in the industry meaning that they will be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our aims and objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc. is in the commercial castor beans (castor oil plants) farming business for the purpose of maximizing profits hence we have decided to explore all the available opportunities within the industry to achieve our corporate goals and objectives.

In essence we are not going to rely only on the sale of our farm produce to generate income for the business. Below are the sources we intend exploring to generate income for Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc.;

• Sale of castor beans (castor oil plants)
• Sale of castor oil

10. Sales Forecast

We conducted a thorough market survey and feasibility studies and we were able to discover that the sales generated by a commercial farm depends on the size of the farm, the nature of the commercial farm (whether cattle rearing, poultry farming , fish farming and crops cultivation et al).

We have perfected or sales and marketing strategies and we are set to hit the ground running and we are quite optimistic that we will meet or even surpass our set sales target of generating enough income / profits from the year of operations and build the business from survival to sustainability.

We have been able to critically examine the castor bean (castor oil plant) farm market and we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. The sales projections are based on information gathered on the field and some workable assumptions as well with respect to the nature of castor bean (castor oil plant) farm that we run.

We will be running a standard castor oil processing plant with a capacity to export well – branded and packaged castor oil to other countries of the world. Below are the projections that we were able to come up with for the first three years of running Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc.;

• First Fiscal Year (FY1): $250,000
• Second Fiscal Year (FY2): $450,000
• Third Fiscal Year (FY3): $750,000

N.B : This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown that can impact negatively on household spending, bad weather cum natural disasters (draughts, epidemics or flood), and unfavorable government policies . Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

We are quite aware that the reason why some castor bean (castor oil plant) farms hardly make good profits is their inability to sell off their castor beans (castor oil plants) as at when due. In view of that, we decided to set up a standard castor oil processing plant to help us maximize profits.

Our sales and marketing team will be recruited base on their vast experience in the industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be well equipped to meet their targets and the overall goal of the organization. We want to build a standard and world – class castor bean (castor oil plant) farm that will leverage on word of mouth advertisement from satisfied clients (both individuals and businesses).

Over and above, we have perfected our sale and marketing strategies first by networking with agriculture merchants and companies that rely on castor beans (castor oil plants) and castor oil as their major raw materials. In summary, Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc. will adopt the following strategies in marketing our castor bean (castor oil plant) farm produce;

• Introduce our business by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to stake holders in the agriculture industry and production companies that rely on supply of castor beans (castor oil plants) and castor oil as raw materials and castor oil processing plants et al.
• Advertise our business in agriculture and food related magazines and websites
• List our castor bean (castor oil plant) farms on yellow pages ads
• Attend related agriculture and food expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
• Leverage on the internet to promote our business
• Engage in direct marketing
• Encourage the use of Word of mouth marketing (referrals)

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

Any business that wants to grow beyond the corner of the street or the city they are operating from must be ready and willing to utilize every available means (both conventional and non – conventional means) to advertise and promote the business. We intend growing our business which is why we have perfected plans to build our brand via every available means.

We know that it is important to create strategies that will help us boost our brand awareness and to create a corporate identity for our castor bean (castor oil plant) farm business. Below are the platforms you can leverage on to boost our castor bean (castor oil plant) farm brand and to promote and advertise our business;

• Place adverts on both print (newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
• Sponsor relevant community based events / programs
• Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook, twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote our business
• Install our Bill Boards on strategic locations all around Pawtucket – Rhode Island
• Engage in roadshow from time to time in targeted neighborhoods
• Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
• List our castor bean (castor oil plant) farms in local directories / yellow pages
• Advertise our castor bean (castor oil plant) farms in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site.
• Ensure that all our staff members wear our branded shirts and all our vehicles and trucks are well branded with our company logo et al.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

Some of the factors that will help you sell your castor beans (castor oil plants) and castor oil at the right price that will guarantee that you make profits is dependent on your strategy while some of the factors are beyond your control.

For example, if the climatic condition is unfavorable and if there are natural disaster in the location where you have your castor bean (castor oil plant) farm, then it will directly affect the harvest of olives and also the prices of your farm produce.

Over and above, if you want to get the right pricing for your farm produce, then you should ensure that you choose a good location for your commercial farm, choose a good breed / seeds that will guarantee bountiful harvest, cut the cost of running your farm to the barest minimum and of course try as much as possible to attract buyers to your farm as against taking your farm produce to the market to source for buyers; with this, you would have successfully eliminate the cost of transporting your harvest to the market and other logistics.

We are quite aware that one of the easiest means of penetrating the market and acquiring loads of customers for our castor beans (castor oil plants) and castor oil is to sell them at competitive prices hence we will do all we can to ensure that the prices of our castor beans (castor oil plants)  are going to be what other castor bean (castor oil plant) farmers would look towards beating.

One thing is certain, the nature of commercial farming makes it possible for farmers to place prices for their farm produces based on their discretion without following the benchmark in the industry. The truth is that it is one of the means of avoiding running into loss. The easier you sell off your harvested castor beans (castor oil plants) the better for your business.

• Payment Options

The payment policy adopted by Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc. is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation of the United States of America.

Here are the payment options that Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc. will make available to her clients;

• Payment via bank transfer
• Payment with cash
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via check
• Payment via Point of Sale Machines (POS Machines)
• Payment via mobile money transfer
• Payment via bank draft

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our client make payment for the purchase of castor beans (castor oil plants) and castor oil without any stress on their part. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials to clients who may want to deposit cash or make online transfer.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

When it comes to calculating the cost of starting a castor bean (castor oil plant) farm with castor oil processing plant, there are some key factors that should serve as a guide. Factor such as the capacity of castor oil extracting and processing plant you want to own and the size of the castor beans (castor oil plants) farm.

In view of the above, here are some of the basic areas we will spend our start – up capital in setting up our castor bean (castor oil plant) farm;

• The total fee for incorporating the business in United States of America – $750.
• The total cost for payment of insurance policy covers (general liability, workers’ compensation and property casualty) coverage at a total premium – $9,400
• The amount needed to acquire / lease a farm land – $50,000
• The amount required for preparing the farm land – $70,000
• The cost for acquiring the required working tools and equipment / machines / fencing et al – $30,000
• The amount required for purchase of the first set of castor bean seedlings et al – $10,000
• The amount required to set up a standard castor oil processing plant within the farm facility – 100,000
• Operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $40,000
• The cost of launching an official website – $600
• The amount required for payment of workers for a period of 3 months – $100,000
• Additional Expenditure (Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions et al) – $2,000

Going by the report from detailed research and feasibility studies conducted, we will need an average of four hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($450,000) to start a standard castor bean (castor oil plant) farm with castor oil extracting and processing plant business in the United States of America.

Generating Funds/Startup Capital for Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc.

Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc. is a family business that will be owned and managed by Thomas Carnegie and his immediate family members. They are the sole financier of the business, but may likely welcome other partners later which is why they decided to restrict the sourcing of the start – up capital for the business to just three major sources.

These are the areas where we intend sourcing for fund for Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc.;

• Generate part of the start – up capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
• Generate part of the start – up capital from friends and other extended family members
• Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).

N.B: We have been able to generate about $100,000 (Personal savings $80,000 and soft loan from family members $20,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $350,000 from our bank. All the papers and document has been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

The future of a business lies in the numbers of loyal customers that they have, the capacity and competence of the employees, their investment strategy and the business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business (company), then it won’t be too long before the business close shop.

One of our major goals of starting Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc. is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without the need for injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.

We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to sell our farm produce (castor beans (castor oil plants) and even processed and packaged castor oil) a little bit cheaper than what is obtainable in the market and we are well prepared to survive on lower profit margin for a while.

Jake Tyson® Castor Bean Farms, Inc. will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our organization’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and re – training of our workforce is at the top burner of our business strategy.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more as determined by the management of the organization. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

Check List / Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check:>Completed
• Business Incorporation: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts various banks in the United States: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of All form of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Leasing of farm land in Pawtucket – Rhode Island and preparing the farm land: Completed
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Start – up Capital Generation: Completed
• writing of business plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
• Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging Marketing / Promotional Materials: Completed
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Building /construction of cages and fence et al: In Progress
• Purchase of the needed working tools, machines and equipment: Completed
• Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
• Creating Awareness for the business (Business PR): In Progress
• Farm land Treatment, Health and Safety Arrangement: In Progress
• Establishing business relationship with vendors and key players in the industry (production companies that rely on supply of castor beans (castor oil plants) and castor oil as raw materials and castor oil processing plants, agriculture farm produce merchants, fertilizer suppliers and transporter / haulage companies et al): Completed

How To Start A Soybean Farming Business?

How To Start A Soybean Farming Business? – Entrepreneurship Ideas

Soybean is a leguminous plant; its beans are high in nutrition and have various health benefits.  If you plan to raise soybean for commercial purposes, read on.

The Prospect

Soybean is recognized internationally for its health benefits and is a champion among vegans. Soy milk and soy flour are two of the popular products make with this bean.

Soybean can be grown in your own garden or a large acre of land. It grows best in places which are warm and has a tropical climate. It is grown in rows and in full sun. Soybeans are never grown in partial shade.

Sow soybeans in partial shade and the harvest will be reduced. So it becomes extremely crucial to select a place which has access to maximum sunlight.

You must have an acre of land at least before considering being a commercial soybean farmer. Try farming in your backyard before trying on a full acre. Here are the steps:

ABC of Soybean Seeds

There are three main kinds of soybeans—Green, black and yellow. The green seeded ones are for eating as they are. The black seeded ones are for drying. The yellow seeded ones are for soy milk and flour. Know your seeds before investing in them.

Sowing Them

The soil should be warm and composted before sowing for optimal harvest during the harvest season. Add fertilizer to the soil when the tender plants are growing. Any kind of plant grows best in rich soil barring a few. Soybean is no exception. And as mentioned earlier, they grow best in full sun.

Take Care Of The Weeds

Weeds grow fast and obstruct the growth of the soybean plant. The resulting harvest won’t be of good quality. Additionally, if they grow and give seeds, the seeds of the soybean get mixed with seeds of the weeds, hampering with the quality. Hence, the money yield for this kind of seed will be low. Use week killers and take good care that weeds doesn’t grow.

All About Harvesting

Pods are harvested by dipping them into boiling water. This softens the shell and the beans are taken out.

 If you want dried soybeans, the plant is taken out and hung upside down until the pods are dried completely and then the beans taken out.

The processed beans are then sold to a grain dealer.

These are the steps to growing your own soybeans. Growing soybeans are becoming popular with home gardeners. You can start small, and you might just find yourself a couple of years down the line with acres of soybean growing land.

Before venturing into large-scale soybean farming, it is good to talk to a fellow soybean farmer. The machinery (tilling, seeding and harvesting machinery) involved in soybean farming usually costs a lot; and you will need a good business plan in order to apply for a business loan. Don’t forget to exclude losses, as in farming you never know. A simple factor like allowing weeds to overgrow will affect the quality and quantity of your product leading to losses. Be prepared with these kinds of issues before venturing into farming.

Business Registration

Take care of land registration issues. Make sure that the land you have purchased/taken on lease is good for farming and is properly registered with the authorities. Make sure there is an adequate water supply/source of water in the area that you intend to farm. For your first seeding, get seeds from a registered and trustworthy dealer, as that has the potential to affect further batches of bean.

Contact our Business consultants for more about How To Start a Soybean Farming Business

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Anshul Johri

Aug 30, 2024

Aug 29, 2024

Am interested in starting soyal beans farming on my farm in Nigeria. I have about 5acre of land already prepared advice urgent to meet up time as the season is running out. Thanks.

Hi, I am a new farmer,I am interested to grow soybeans I do need some informations from you please. Reach me by text or email tel 617 6020356.Hoping hearing from you soon Best regards Andrew

Yes I m agri soya

This information is uniquely detailed

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A Step-By-Step Guide to Soybean Farming Business Plan

Table of contents, benefits of soybean farming, soil management and seed rate for soybean farming, seed rate and proper spacing for successful soybean business, fertilizers and water requirement to start soybean farming business, tips to create soybean farming business, selecting the seed for soybean framing business, licenses & permits to start your soybean farming business, soybean business cultivation practices, steps to maximize the soybean crop yield, crop rotation and inter cropping to start soybean farming, soybean farming care, steps to create a soybean farming business plan, success tips for a soybean business, soybean harvesting and yield.

Soybean farming is a popular and profitable business venture. Soybean farming is a profitable agricultural business providing income over several years. Soybeans are versatile crops used for various purposes, including human consumption, animal feed, and biodiesel production. Soybeans are high in protein and contain all the essential amino acids for human nutrition.

Soybean Farming Business Plan

• The demand for Soybeans is high and growing. Another reason to start a Soybean business is that it can be a profitable venture.
• Soybeans are relatively easy to grow and yield a good return on investment. In addition, the cost of starting a Soybean farm is relatively low compared to other types of businesses.
• Starting a Soybean business provides an opportunity to impact the environment positively.
• Soybeans are a renewable resource whose production has a minimal negative environmental impact. As consumer awareness of environmental issues grows, so does the demand for environmentally friendly products.
• By starting a Soybean business, you can be at the forefront of this growing trend and make a difference in the world.
• Soybeans are a relatively easy crop to grow; thus, farmers can count on a certain level of income stability.
• Soybeans are known for their health benefits for humans and animals. This means that farmers can feel good about growing a crop that benefits people and animals alike.
• Soybeans are also a very sustainable crop, requiring little input (fertilizers, pesticides, etc.) and having a small environmental footprint. This is good news for both the farmer and the planet.

The ideal pH range for Soybean plants is between 6 and 7.5. Within this range, the plant can access the nutrients it needs from the soil and is less likely to experience stress from extreme pH conditions. Farmers can test their soil regularly and adjust its pH with limestone or other amendments to maintain a favorable pH for Soybeans.

• The optimum seed rate for sowing on one-acre land is 25-30 kg. This will ensure that the chances of getting a good crop are high. More seeds should not be sown as this will lead to competition amongst the plants for resources and, ultimately, lower yields.
• Soybean farming is a popular and profitable agricultural business in many parts of the world. The crop is mostly cultivated in countries with tropical and subtropical climates. India is the leading producer of Soybeans, followed by Brazil, Argentina, and the United States.
• The plant grows well in fertile soils with good drainage. A spacing of 45-60 cm X 2.5 cm is considered suitable for Kharif crops, while 30-45 X 2.5 cm is ideal for spring season cultivation.
• Proper spacing is essential for optimum yield as it allows proper aeration and sunlight penetration to the lower leaves. It also helps in controlling weeds and pests.

In case you missed it: Best Regenerative Agriculture Practices Every Grower Should Follow and Why It Is Important

Fertilizers play an important role in Soybean production as they help to supply the nutrients required for plant growth. The type and amount of fertilizer used will vary depending on the soil type, crop rotation, and previous crop history. It is important to have your soil tested before applying fertilizer to ensure you use the correct products and rates.

Water is also a critical factor in Soybean production. The water needed will vary depending on the climate and weather conditions. Irrigation systems should be designed and operated to minimize evaporation and runoff.

• The first step in starting a Soybean farm is to create a business plan. This plan should include an analysis of the market, your competition, your start-up costs, and your operating expenses.  Once you have created a business plan, you can look for land to grow your Soybeans.
• Once you have secured land for your farm, you must obtain permits and licenses from your local government. You must also purchase seeds from a reputable supplier and the necessary fertilizers and pesticides.
• After planting your seeds, you must water them regularly and closely monitor their growth. Once your Soybeans are ready for harvest, you can sell them directly to customers or through a wholesaler.
• The demand for Soybeans is constantly growing, creating opportunities for farmers to profit. Producing a high-quality product that meets customer demands is important to maximize profits. Additionally, farmers must have a good marketing strategy to ensure their products are sold fairly.

The type of climate in which you will be growing your Soybeans, the soil type, and the amount of rainfall are just a few of the things that will affect what type of seed you choose. You will need to decide whether you want to grow your Soybeans organically. If you choose to grow them organically, there are a few additional steps that you will need to take to ensure that your plants are healthy and free of pesticides and herbicides.

In case you missed it: Best Fertilizer for Soybean Crop: Organic, Compost, NPK, When and How To Apply

When selecting the seed for your Soybean farming business plan, it is important to consult with a local expert who can help you determine which type of seed will best suit your needs. Once you have selected the right type of seed for your farm, you must purchase it from a reputable source. Ask about return policies if the seed does not germinate or the plants do not thrive.

• The first step is to obtain a business license from your local government.
• Next, you must get a Soybean farming permit from the Department of Agriculture.
• Finally, you must obtain a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) license.
• Cultivating a Soybean crop is no different than any other bean crop. The main difference is the variety of Soybean that you choose to grow. There are many varieties of Soybeans, each with its benefits and drawbacks. You must select the best variety for your particular climate and soil type.
• Once you have selected the right Soybean variety, you must prepare your soil. Soybeans require well-drained, fertile soil to thrive. The best method to achieve this is by conducting a soil test and following the recommendations for amendments.
• After your soil is prepared, you will need to plant your seeds. Soybeans are typically planted in late spring or early summer.  Throughout the growing season, Soybeans will need to be watered regularly. They are especially susceptible to drought stress during flowering and pod filling. Keep an eye on your crop’s weather forecast and irrigation needs.
• As harvest time approaches, scout your field for diseases and pests. These can cause serious damage to your crop if left unchecked. Treat any problems immediately according to the label directions. When the beans are mature, they can be harvested by hand or with a combine harvester.
• Selecting the suitable variety : Many Soybeans are available. Select the one that is best suited for your field conditions.
• Sowing at the right time : Timing is crucial for getting a good yield. Sow the seeds when the conditions are favorable for germination and growth.
• Proper spacing : Maintaining proper distance between plants ensures good air circulation and exposure to sunlight. This will prevent diseases and encourage growth.
• Adequate fertilizer : Use quality fertilizer to provide nutrients for optimal growth. Apply it at recommended rates and at the right time.
• Proper irrigation : Irrigate the crop regularly to keep the soil moisture consistent. Avoid waterlogging as it can lead to root rot.
• Pest and disease control : Regularly check for pests and diseases and take corrective measures immediately. This will help prevent crop damage and maintain a good yield.

In case you missed it: Top 19 Steps to Boost Soybean Yield: How to Increase Production, Quality, Size, and Tips

Crop rotation and inter-cropping are both important aspects of Soybean farming. Crop rotation helps replenish the soil’s nutrients, while inter-cropping allows different crops to be grown in the same field. Inter-cropping with Tur, Cotton, Sorghum, Cotton, and Sugarcane. It is rotated with Wheat, Potato, Gram, and Tobacco. This type of rotation provides a variety of nutrients for the plants and helps to prevent pests and diseases.

• Once you have your business plan, it’s time to find the perfect location for your farm. The ideal location will have good soil conditions and be close to markets where you can sell your Soybeans. Once you’ve found the perfect spot, it’s time to start preparing the land for planting.
• This involves clearing any debris, tilling the soil, and applying fertilizer. Once the land is ready, you can plant your Soybeans and grow your crop. Throughout the growing season, monitoring your plants and ensuring they get enough water and nutrients is important.
• Once harvest time arrives, you must carefully remove the Soybeans from their pods and then dry them before storing or selling them. With proper care and attention, your Soybean farming business can succeed.
• Research the market for Soybeans in your area. Determine if there is a demand for Soybeans and if businesses are already selling them in your area. Consider the price of Soybeans as well as the costs of production when making your decision.
• Before starting any business, it is important to research the market. This will help you understand the demand for Soybeans and the prices that farmers are getting for their crops.
• Create a business plan that should include information on your target market, marketing strategy, financial projections, and plans for production and distribution.
• Once you have found the perfect location for your farm, you must prepare the land for planting. This includes clearing debris, tilling the soil, and leveling off areas that might be too hilly or sloped.

In case you missed it: Pest and Disease Management in Soya: Causes, Symptoms, Chemical, and Biological Control

• Find a source of funding for your business. This could come from personal savings, loans, or investors.
• Purchase the necessary supplies and equipment for growing and processing Soybeans. This could include land, seed, fertilizer, irrigation equipment, etc.
• Plant the Soybeans and care for them throughout the growing season. This includes watering, weeding, and protecting them from pests and diseases.
• Pests and diseases can also decimate crops, making it difficult to profit. Soybean farmers must constantly be on the lookout for pests and diseases that could potentially damage their crops.
• Harvest the Soybeans when ready and process them into their final form (soy milk, tofu, etc.).
• Market and sell your products to customers in your area. This could be through online sales, farmer’s markets, retail stores, etc
• Location : The farm should be located in an area with a demand for Soybeans. This could be a local market or a regional or national market.
• Land : The farm should have enough land to grow the desired Soybeans. The land should also have good soil quality and adequate drainage.
• Equipment : The farm will need equipment for planting, harvesting, and transporting Soybeans. The equipment should be well-maintained and in good working condition.
• Farm workers : The farm will need workers for planting, harvesting, and transporting Soybeans. These workers should be reliable and honest. They should also be able to work long hours during peak times.
• Financing: The farm will need financial resources to cover start-up costs and ongoing operating expenses. This could come from personal savings, loans, or investments from others.

The main ways to harvest Soybeans are hand picking or machine harvesting. Hand-picking is a more labor-intensive method but can be done with minimal equipment. Machine harvesting is more expensive and requires specialized equipment, but it is much faster and easier. If you are hand-picking your Soybeans, wait until the pods are brown and dry before picking them. You can either shell the beans by hand or thresh them using a simple threshing machine. The average seed yield for Soybeans is about 6.1 to 7 quintals per acre.

In case you missed it: How to Start Soybean Farming in Kenya: A Step-By-Step Production Guide for Beginners

Soybean farming can be a rewarding business venture. With the right knowledge, you can create a successful Soybean farming plan that will ensure your success in the long run. Soybeans are one of the most versatile and nutritious crops in the world. Soybeans are a good protein source, making them an important part of many diets.

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I enjoyed every bit of my reading on soybean farming. Please assist me in writing a soybean farming business plan proposal. It’s was very informative and recommend for those interested in farming to read through. Thanks

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