By SHELLY STRAUTZ-SPRINGBORN
Michigan Correspondent
 
GREENVILLE, Mich. — Local growers got a firsthand look at how 60 varieties of dry beans are performing under this year’s growing conditions during the Montcalm Dry Bean Plot Tour on Aug. 6.
The field day was coordinated by Michigan State University (MSU) Montcalm County Extension Educator Fred Springborn in cooperation with the Michigan Bean Commission, and was hosted at Thorlund Brothers Farm near Greenville.

Jeff Thorlund said he agreed to work with MSU Extension to plant the dry bean test plots in one of his fields this summer because he believes research and education are important to the industry. “The more information we have about different bean varieties, the better decisions we can make,” Thorlund said. “They (MSU Extension) help us, so we help them.”

During the field day, Greg Varner, research director with the Michigan Dry Bean Research Board, updated producers on the characteristics of 60 varieties of beans featured in the plot tour. Varner’s plot was 52 days after planting and most plants were in bloom the night of the tour.

This year, Varner is conducting six trials in six counties in Michigan’s Saginaw Valley, in the state’s Thumb region and in Montcalm County.

Varner said his research looks at dry bean performance and yields on different soil types and under varying conditions. “I’m comparing the acceptable commercial varieties that growers are growing today with upcoming varieties,” Varner said.

“A lot of the experimental lines are within one to three years of release to growers,” he said. “I’m trying to release to growers as much information as I can for adaptability before the farmer plants these different varieties of beans.”

Adaptability, Varner said, includes information regarding days to maturity, how the varieties perform under varying weather conditions, how the varieties perform when planted after other crops such as corn or sugar beets, and how the varieties stand up to insect and disease pressure, such as white mold tolerance.

He pointed out a variety of navy beans with a long runner. “Varieties that throw the big runner are really susceptible to white mold,” he said, “especially when they are planted in narrow rows.”
Row width, Varner said, is an important component in his research because many growers are shifting to narrow rows so the beans can be direct cut. The downfall, however, is the increased susceptibility to white mold.

During the tour, producers also heard a western bean cutworm update from MSU Field Crops Entomologist Chris DiFonzo, while viewing her test plots.

DiFonzo has three trial plots at the site. The first is an egg mass study to determine how much damage a grower may experience from various numbers of egg masses. The second is a larval study. The third is a study evaluating chemical control measures that were applied at planting.

Last year was the first year that western bean cutworm damaged dry beans in Michigan. As a result, funding was obtained through Project GREEEN (Generating Research and Extension to meet Economic and Environmental Needs) to conduct this research.
Project GREEEN is a cooperative effort between plant-based commodities and businesses together with the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, MSU Extension and the Michigan Department of Agriculture to advance Michigan’s economy through its plant-based agriculture.

DiFonzo said there are 290 trapping sites throughout Michigan, and 11 sites are located near dry bean fields in Montcalm County. Traps utilize a pheromone lure to attract the insect and an antifreeze solution that captures them in a milk jug.

In one trap in the northwest corner of Montcalm County, DiFonzo said 173 moths were captured, while traps near Trufant in the central portion of the county captured 64 to 86. At the plot site, since trapping began a total of 288 and 299 have been captured in two different traps. The highest number captured so far was at a site near Sidney, with total of 378 moths.

“Last year with a catch of 40 to 50, we were getting damage,” DiFonzo said.

Dry bean production occurs in 14 states and Michigan is ranked No. 2 behind North Dakota. Michigan producers grow 12 classes of beans including black beans, light and dark red kidney beans, pinto beans, navy beans, cranberry beans and others.