Dry bean yields depend on a number of factors. Disease can have a big impact on yields. Although they are legumes they don’t seem to produce enough nitrogen for optimum yields so additional fertilizer or manure is added. One part of this study will look at several nitrogen rates and disease management. Many growers try to plant dry beans on their best fields or on fields they rent from neighbours which have just come out of hay or fields that receive regular amounts of manure as they produce the highest yields. The second part of this study will attempt to evaluate the soil health of the fields using a number of soil health indicators. If there is good correlation between the soil health indicators and yield the indicators could be used to help a grower predict which fields will produce the highest dry bean yields.

Read the entire report here: Dry Bean Intensive Management Soil Health Study