Organic Cultivation of French Beans

Bush type varieties

Hills    : YCD 1, Ooty 1, Arka Komal (Sel.9), Premier
Plains : Arka Komal (Sel.9), Premier

Soil    

Well-drained loamy soil with pH range of 5.5-6.0 is required. It prefers cool climate.

Season

Hills    : February -March
Plains : October- November

Seed treatment

Treat the seeds with Trichoderma @ 4 g/kg of seed for 24 hours before sowing to control fungal diseases. If the crop is raised for the first time, seeds should be treated with Rhizobium culture @ 600 g/ha using rice gruel as binder. Dry the treated seeds in shade for 15 – 30 minutes before sowing. In hills, sow the seeds in lines or in beds. In plains, sow the seeds in the sides of the ridges.

Seed rate and spacing

Hills    : 80 kg/ha (2 seeds/hill) 30 x 15 cm
Plains : 50 kg/ha (2 seeds/hill) 45 x 30 cm

Preparation of field

Hills: Dig the soil thoroughly and incorporate FYM. Form beds of convenient size.
Plains: After two ploughings form ridges and furrows.

Irrigation

Irrigation should be given immediately after sowing, third day and thereafter once a week.

Application of fertilizers

1. Green manuring with lupin 60 days before planting
2. Sprinkling horn manure to the soil at the time of land preparation @ 75g/ha by dissolving it in 40 litres of water
3. Application of well decomposed farm yard manure @ 50 t/ha at the time of land preparation
4. Application of biodynamic compost @ 5 t/ha at the time of land preparation
5. Application of vermicompost @ 5 t/ha at the time of land preparation
6. Application of neem cake @ 1250 kg/ha at the time of land preparation
7. Application of biofertilizers, Azospirillum, Phosphobacteria and Rhizobium @ 25 kg each/ha at the time of land preparation
8. Spraying cow pat pit @ 5 kg/ha in 100 litres of water on 45th, 60th and 75th day after planting

After cultivationWeeding should be done at 20 - 25 days and 40 - 45 days after sowing. The crop should be earthed up after each weeding.

Plant protection
Pests

Cut worms

1. Install light trap during summer to attract adult moths.
2. Install sprinkler irrigation system and irrigate the field in day time to expose the larvae for predation by birds.
3. Use of pyrethrum bait prepared out of pyrethrum flowers, wheat bran and jaggery (2:1:1).

1. Spray neem oil 3 %.
2. Spraying of 10% nettle leaf extract on 45th, 60th and 75th day after planting.
3. Spraying of 10% garlic-chilli extract on 45th, 60th and 75th day after planting.

White flies

Yellow colour plastic pots coated with castor oil can be used to trap white flies.

Pod borer

Foliar spraying of 10% garlic - chilli extract 3 times on 45th, 60th and 75th day after planting.

Diseases

Bird eye spot and powdery mildew

Foliar spray of 3% Dasagavya at 10 days interval from 1st month after planting.

Mosaic

1. Select disease free seeds.
2. Destroy affected plants.
3. This disease is transmitted by aphids and white flies. So control the vectors to control this diseases.
4. Remove disease affected weeds.
5. Appropriate time of sowing  and harvesting should be done.

1. Foliar spray of 5% Manchurian tea filtrate 3 times at one month interval from one month after sowing/planting.
2. Foliar spray of 3% Dasagavya at 10 days interval from 1st month after planting.

1. Application of Trichoderma viride @ 5 kg/ha at the time of land preparation.
2. Application of Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 5 kg/ha at the time of land preparation.

Yield

8 - 10 t/ha green pods in 90 - 100 days.