The Rural Voice, 1979-04, Page 9have already been bred into the Kentwood
variety, which should be ready for breeder
seed production in 1980. The Fleetwood
breed is right behind and researchers are
also working on Seafarer and Sanilac.
Don Littlejohns, a researcher with W.G.
Thompson Ltd., said his researchers are
working on developing new high yielding
strains of white beans adaptable to the
main Ontario growing areas. He said part
of his research is funded by the National
Research Council.
Mr. Littlejohns said a higher level of
research is needed in the private sector.
Right now, the researcher said, Canada
has the lowest percentage of money spent
on research and development of all the
developing countries in the world.
HIGH YIELD
Mr. Littlejohns said his research is
emphasizing high yield, a shorter maturity
period, a good bush -like plant type with
beans with good cooking quality.
Mr. Littlejohns said he still believes in
the value of the white bean crop—"it's
paid for an awful lot of farm mortgages."
Ron Pitblado, a bean specialist from
Ridgetown College of Agricultural Tech-
nology, (RCAT), discussed the dangers of
white mold and anthracnose on the bean
crops.
Once white mold starts,
control is difficult
He told the grower white mold is a
fungus disease which attacks the flowers
and then the foliage of the bean plants.
Mold requires moist, humid conditions and
the spores are spread by the wind. The
mold starts to grow on the flowers and then
spreads to foliage. Mr. Pitblado said if
growers can keep the petals clean with
fungicides or if the weather isn't moist,
they don't have to worry about spraying.
However, once the mold starts to grow in
the crotches of the plant, control of the
disease is difficult. He said RCAT is now
investigating when the best time is for
farmers to spray to control the mold. A
number of new chemical sprays have been
approved to fight the problem.
Anthracnose, particularly the delta
strain which appeared in the last few years,
can be spread by being splashed by rain or
moved around by cultivation.
Anthracnose survive
winter underground
Mr. Pitblado warned growers that
anthracnose residue in the field can be
plowed under and the fungus will survive
the winter underground. Once treated,
seed begins to germinate and send out
roots and the plant becomes susceptible
again to residues of the disease still in the
soil.
In response to a grower's question, Mr.
Pitblado said farmers who know anthrac-
nose delta infected a field of beans last
year should plant their crop in another field
this spring.
Russ Frasier, research agronomist
with the Michigan Dry Edible Bean
Research Advisory Board, told the growers
beans have always been a risky crop for
farmers. He said yields are variable, the
crop is very susceptible to the weather and
to diseases and pests as well as damage
from ozone pollution.
Also, growers are faced with an uneven
demand for their product. He said growers
earn more when the crop is short and a
small change in the supply of beans can
produce a large change in the price for
growers.
U.S. RESEARCH
Mr. Frasier told the audience the
research program he is involved with is
concerned about improving soil structure,
lowering input prices for farmers and
developing new varieties of white beans.
He said research in the United States is
now faced with decreasing research budget
due to cutbacks in federal funding.
Mr. Frasier said growers should be able
to plant fewer acres of white beans but still
get the yield they need. He said there
must be a dependable supply of the
product for customers.
The researcher said growers shouldn't
accept the statement that the market can't
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THE RURAL VOICE/APRIL 1979 PG. 7