Influence of sowing techniques and pesticide application on the emergence and the establishment of bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

The emergence and the establishment of beans are affected by bean seed fly attacks, soil fungi and crust formation. This work was carried out during 1998 and 1999 in the province of Leon (Spain). A split-split-plot design with three replications was used. The main plot was the bean cultivar (Rinon de Leon and Canela), the subplot was the application system of pesticides (untreated, treatment of seed before sowing and treatment of seed during sowing) and the sub-subplot was the sowing technique: sowing in raised beds, sowing in flat land without adding substratum, sowing in flat land adding sawdust and sowing in flat land adding vermiculite. The sowing in flat land, adding substrate to the sowing line, allowed the acceleration of the common bean emergence and the improvement of its establishment. Application of pesticides to the sowing line accelerated the bean emergence. Highly significant interaction between environment and sowing technique was obtained for all characters recorded.