A-604 Emroy L. Shannon, Extension Plant Pathologist Diseases of beans often cause severe losses in New Mexico. Those considered most important are discussed in this publication. This disease can only be spread by the beet leafhopper. All leaves become thicker than normal and brittle, breaking off easily at the stem.
Diseased plants are dwarfed and die early.
Disease losses can be reduced considerably by planting for a thick stand, then thinning when plants become crowded. Several snap bean varieties are reported to be resistant to curly-top virus. Both diseases are carried on the seed and can be spread from plant to plant by rain, hail or wind. In the soil, blight can survive in old, diseased plants for a year or longer. The disease can be severe when rains are frequent during the growing season, or when beans are grown under sprinkler irrigation.