Dry bean seed production by and for small-scale farmers (Deliverable 6.4)

Dry beans (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.), and legumes in general, are relatively disregarded despite their role in nutrition. To value bean landraces, and climbing ones in particular, seed multiplication through small plots at farm level can be key to spread diffusion of high-quality bean seeds and to increase bean production and consumption. Provision of technical support may further foster their adoption. A simple protocol can guide farmers to produce their own high quality seeds. As practical recommendations: 1. Select Site and Seeds: the optimum plant growth temperature is 25°C and it is very important to choose the right period for bean planting to avoid loss at germination stage. Beans are particularly sensitive to wet soil, as excessive water may limit yields in several ways, such as nitrogen fixation reduction, chlorosis and reduction in crop growth. 2. Staking, stakes length and staking period: climbing plants need stakes, put at sowing time or at young age, allowing the plants to grow vertically, making growing and harvest easier. Using wood or plastic nets is a bean staking system commonly used (with optimum results) but requires a high labor cost. One of the options for reducing this cost is crops association with maize or sunflower. 3. Crop rotation and disease management: to prevent varietal mixing and disease propagation, it is better to return beans to the same field only after two growing seasons. 4. Harvest and post-harvest: climbing bean harvesting cannot be usefully mechanized and bean seeds must be well dried and unbroken during threshing and sorting.