Response of dry edible bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) cultivars to four herbicides

Dry edible bean tolerance to PPI-applied EPTC, alachlor and POST- applied imazethapyr was evaluated over two years at Scottsbluff, NE. Eight market classes of dry edible beans comprising 12 cultivars were studied. Crop tolerance was assessed by measuring crop injury, stand, leaf area index, leaf chlorosis, plant canopy volume, projected canopy cover, crop maturity, and seed yield. Leaf area index measured late in the growing season provided the best correlation with seed yield in both years. In 1993 and 1994, imazethapyr treatment caused crop injury, which resulted in a decrease of leaf area and in 1994 decreased seed yield. Differences in herbicide tolerance existed between market classes and cultivars, although the level of herbicide tolerance varied between years.