Grower Driven Research
The Northarvest Bean Growers Association Research Committee takes a hands-on approach to steer research that will make a difference for bean production. Each year the Committee identifies research priorities that are most important for growers and sends this grower-driven list to scientists as a guideline to receiving a request for research proposal. Based on this list, a variety of proposals were submitted in 2019. A full list of proposals can be found in the Summer 2019 Bean Growers magazine (pages 8-10).
2018 Dry Bean Grower Survey Released
For 29 years, dry bean growers have responded to an annual survey from North Dakota State University of varieties grown, pest problems, pesticide use and grower practices. A total of 241 growers responded to the survey, representing 15.2% of last year’s total planted acreage.
In 2018, the most popular varieties by class were:
- Pinto: 1. Vibrant (SD) 2. Windbreaker
- Black: 1: Eclipse 2. Zorro
- Kidney: 1. Montcalm 2. Red Hawk
- Navy: 1. HMS Medalist 2. T9905
- Pink: 1. Floyd 2. Not specified
- Small Red: 1. Ruby 2. Merlot
- Cranberry: 1. Bellagio
More than 32% of growers ranked drought as the most significant production problem in 2018. Diseases and harvest were ranked as the next largest production problem. Like 2017, the worst weed problems were kochia, lambs quarters, and ragweed. Basagran/generics and Raptor were the most commonly used herbicides by dry bean growers.
