Bean Anthracnose 175 



This method of controlling anthracnose in the main field will cost 

 less than spraying five times, and is more certain of success. Much 

 of the procedure costs nothing, but merely requires not doing certain 

 things. The labor involved in growing a 40-acre field of beans by this 

 method, above that ordinarily required for growing such a field, con- 

 sists in selecting sufficient seed for a seed plot, in spraying the vines in 

 this plot, in removing affected plants from it when present, in the separate 

 harvesting and threshing of the crop, and in the careful hand-picking 

 of the seed from it. Other work done in connection with the seed plot 

 would have been required had it been a part of the main field. 



If home-grown seed is as good as or superior to that purchased else- 

 where, then growers of a large acreage of beans who have felt the loss 

 from anthracnose, or seed dealers who are desirous of obtaining the best 

 possible seed for their territory, should give consideration to this method. 

 It is not to be expected that many farmers will adopt such a method, 

 because of the detail required in order to insure success. It should be 

 pointed out here that this method cannot be depended upon absolutely 

 to control bacterial blight. Burkholder (1921:67) states that as a result 

 of systemic infection of the bean plant the seeds may become infected 

 without the pods around them showing any evidence of blight. 



Procuring seed from localities where anthracnose does not occur 



Observations were made for two seasons (1908 and 1909) of fields 

 planted with Colorado-grown and eastern-grown Refugee Wax bean 

 seed. There was no anthracnose but considerable blight present in the 

 field planted with the western seed, while anthracnose was present to 

 some extent in the field planted with the eastern seed. The seed pro- 

 cured from Colorado the second year was dry and split easily, and besides 

 it germinated poorly, and so the yield was lower than that from the eastern 

 seed. Edgerton (1910:50) has planted Colorado seed in Louisiana and 

 has found it freer from anthracnose than most other seed, though much 

 more severely affected with bacterial blight. Muncie (1917:41) reports 

 trials in Michigan of seed grown for one year in the States of Washington, 

 Idaho, and California. There was a little anthracnose in the seed returned 

 from Washington but none in that from the other States. Idaho-grown 

 seed gave very satisfactory results the first year but poor results the 

 second year, largely because the seed was immature due to an early frost. 



