BEDDING, PLANT-POPULATION, AND SPRAY - ON MULCH TESTED TO INCREASE DRY BEAN YIELD

This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of bed type (single or parallel raised bed vs, nonbedded); plant density (1991: approximate to 148,300 or 269,500 plants/ha; 1993: approximate to 48,300, 269,500, or 432,400 plants/ha); and use of blacker white degradable mulch vs, nontreated soil on total and marketable yields and number of marketable seed per kilogram (seed count) of 'Fleetwood', an erect bush, white-seeded navy bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L,), Spray-on mulch degraded before canopy closure, but a residue was present at harvest. In 1991, treatments did not affect yield or seed count. In 1993, bedding did not affect yield over nonbedded seedbeds, Black spray-on mulch increased marketable yield over plants grown with white spray-on mulch, Total and marketable yields were significantly higher at 269,500 than at 148,300 plants/ha, Bed type and plant density did not affect seed count, but seed count increased with black spray-on mulch. Dry beans should not be grown on beds under soil conditions such as those in our experiment, White spray-on mulch had no beneficial effect, but using black mulch needs additional evaluation,Planting at 269,500 plants/ha likely will yield approximate to 2 Mg seeds/ha in most years.