Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-08-28
Prevention of Bean Anthracnose.
A LOOK AHEAD TO SAFEGUARD TIL
1918 BEAN CROP.

In previous article by the director
OF the Maine Agricultural Experiment
Station bean anthracnose was described
and the fact mentioned that IL Ia usually
and incorrectly called rust in Maine.
The true bean rust is much less com.
mon and less destructive disease In this
state. It was pointed out that bean
anthracnose Is not easy to control and
prevention rather than cure Is the best
way to handle 1t. 1t was stated that If
the seed planted is free from all traces
of snthracnose the disease would not
be troublesome; that some varieties of
beans are more resistant to 1t than
others; and that 1t is best not to work
among the plants when they are wet
with rain or dew spraying beans with
bordeaux mixture is recommended,
even though there is difference Of
opinion as to its effectiveness.
Climatic conditions all over the state
during the early part of the present
growing season were very favorable for
the development of the disease. As .
result it caused much damage to the
young plants and Is now appearing as
rusty, brown spots on the developing
pods, in many instances damaging them
severely. What can the bean grower
do to prevent repetition of these
troubles next year, or to reduce them
to minimum?
An effort should be made to secure
disease from seed for planting. Certain
standard varieties of beans which are
grown in Maine are susceptible to an
thracnose in varying degrees. Any
field of such beans found free from the
disease is too valuable to be used for
food this year. Failing such source
of seen supply, 90 through the field be-
fore harvesting and pick OF sufficient,
mature, well-formed pods, which have
entirely escaped attack, to furnish the
required amount of seed for next years
planting. II Is not enough to select
seed from the general crop that appears
to be healthy. No matter how carefully
beans are picked over, many which are
only slightly diseased will get BY and
serve as centers Of infection for these
young plants. The seed beans become
infected by the fungus growing into
them from the diseased pods before
they are harvested. Hence If the pods
are free from anthrscnose the beans
should also be free from it.
Where possible the more resistant
varieties Of beans should be grown.
However, for those who will give the
matter the necessary care there are
possibilities ahead for severing resistant
strains of susceptible varieties.
Some twelve or fifteen years ago
grower in the state of New York found
a single plant standing up alone in q
field of Red Kidney beans, the only
healthy one there. This strain has
been propagated and found highly
resistant to anthracnose.
Even after care has been taken to
select seed from disease 1t would not
always be safe to depend on this alone
especially in q season like the present.
of course clean seed would be OF little
value If planted alongside or near fields
where such care had not been taken
with the seed. At Highmoor Farm, the
Maine Agriculture Experiment Station
Ia carving on an extensive series OF
bean breeding experiments. Here num-
srous varieties and crosses OF dinerent
degrees of susceptibility to the disease
must be grown In close proximity:
This wear these beans were sprayed
with bordeaux mixture soon after they
broke ground, and this treatment has
been repeated at frequent intervals.
Recently the man in charge OF these
bean breeding plots, who makes care
full examination of and makes notes on
the strain or variety tested, stated tnst
as a whole they were never so free from
anthrscnose at this time OF the year.
They were not sprayed in the past.
In 1918 the plant patbologist OF the
Station conducted q spraying experi.
ment at Highmoot Farm for the control
of bean anthacnose. The seed used Tor
planting came from field Of Improved
Ysllow.eys beans on which large
amount of the disease occurred the
season before. Both bordeaux mixture
and lime-sulphur were used. One third
on the field was SPRAYED with each and
the other third left unsprayed Tor a
check. , =.
The beans were planted on June II
and had all broken ground on june -.
The first spray applications were mace
on June 81, these were repeated on june
30. July s and IA. The spraying was
done thoroughly as possible. As far as
could be observed neither bordeaux mix
ture nor lime-sulphur In any way injured
the foliage. The former was used the
same strength as for potatoes and the
latter the same as for apples.
Unfortunately the climatic conditions
that season were not particularly favor
able for the development of snthracnoss.
Rstweeu four and five thousand poos
wars examined on each third OF the
f;sId nreyious to harvest. On the check
blot 4.45 per cent of these were attacked
by anthracnose. Where the sprays
we're used il Was reduced to 0.1s and
Ois per cents respectively, the slight
difference In control being in favor o,
lime sulphur. While there was decided
rsdnctIon in the amount Of disease, TO-
the extent Of almost complete CONTROL
il was not felt that tho results were CON
elusive. 1t Is believed that had this
experiment been conducted the present present
season much more marked results