Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #271288
Title: Common beans, diseases: ecology and control

Author
item FELICETTI, ERIN - Washington State University
item LARSEN, RICHARD - Washington State University
item Miklas, Phillip - Phil

Submitted to: Encyclopedia of Pest Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/22/2010
Publication Date: 10/21/2010
Citation: Felicetti, E., Larsen, R., Miklas, P.N. 2010. Common beans, diseases: ecology and control. Encyclopedia of Pest Management. 1(1): 1-4.

Interpretive Summary: Bean diseases cause significant crop loss on a global basis. This paper reviews integrated control of economically important common bean diseases with emphasis on ulitilizaton of genetic resistance in the host. Control of major bacterial, fungal, and virual disease in common bean using genetic resistance is highlighted. This review will be a useful resouce for researchers and lay persons interested in disease control in common bean.

Technical Abstract: Common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, is one of the most important edible legume crops worldwide, nutritionally and economically. Diseases caused by pathogens that affect beans can have catastrophic effects, destroying entire crops in some instances. There are more than 200 pathogens (bacterial, fungal, and viral) known to infect beans, but only a few dozen are economically important. Identifying the causal agent(s) is important for disease management. Once the disease is diagnosed then integrated strategies can be deployed for disease control, including sowing disease-free seed, cultural practices, chemicals, and genetic resistance within the host. Breeding common beans with effective genetic resistance is a key component for control of many of the bean diseases. Moreover, beans that are genetically resistant have less impact on the environment, in terms of reduced pesticide use. Furthermore, resistant cultivars reduce risks for the grower and contribute to higher economic returns. The major diseases plaguing common bean production worldwide and methods for controlling them with emphasis on genetic resistance will be briefly discussed.