Description

Seedborne diseases are a top threat to annual bean production in North Dakota. Some of the more common diseases are bacterial blights, which was the second worst disease issue reported by edible bean growers (Knodel et al.). Bacterial blights have been organized into three distinct categories. First, common bacterial blight is caused by two species, Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli (Xap) and Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. fuscans (Xff). Second, halo blight is caused by a single species, Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. phaseolicola (Psp). Third, bacterial brown spot is caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (Pss). In North Dakota, plant pathologists have led annual field surveys to assess the prevalence of disease within the state. The results from recent surveys in 2021 and 2022 have been alarming. Like most years, common bacterial blight was detected in every bean field, but there has been a concerning rise of both halo blight (5% up to 93%) and brown spot blight (2% up to 25%; Ebert et al.). The growing prevalence of blight justifies more study into improving pathogen diagnostics with special emphasis on testing before planting begins.

This project was funded by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant.

References

Knodel, J. J., Beauzay, P. B., Ebert, M., Endres, G. J., Franzen, D. W., Kandel, H. J., Markell, S. G., and Osorno, J. M. (2023). 2022 Dry bean grower survey of production, pest problems, and pesticide use. North Dakota State University Extension Service E2088. https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/sites/default/files/2023-04/e2088.pdf. [Accessed: 2024-01-02].

Ebert, M., Gill, U., Markell, S., Rasmussen, J. (2023). 2022 Dry Edible Bean Disease Research Report within 2023 Northarvest Bean Grower Magazine.