Effects of bed width, planting arrangement, and plant population on seed yield of pinto bean cultivars with different growth habits

In the arid western USA, irrigated dry edible beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are normally planted in single drill rows placed on seed beds that vary from 22 to 30 in. in width. Bed width is usually selected to accomodate the producers' farm equipment and production practices. There is a need to re-evaluate planting practices for pinto beans because new cultivars have recently been released that exhibit different growth habits. Field research was conducted at Ft. Collins and Fruita, CO, in 1989 and 1990 to evalatue the influences of bed width (narrow vs. wide), number of drill rows planted on a bed (one vs. two), and plant populations (72 000 vs. 100 000 plants/acre) on yield and yield components of three pinto bean cultivars that have Type I (determinate bush), Type II (indeterminate upright), and Type III (indeterminate vine) growth habits. Cultivars differed in mean seed yield across treatments but did not interact with planting arrangements or populations, indicating that the cultivars responded similarly to altered planting arrangements. Mean seed yield among cultivars was higher in narrow than in wide beds at both locations. Double row arrangement on beds produced higher seed yield at Ft. Collins in both years, but did not influence seed yield at Fruita. Among yield components, pod number most affected seed yield at both locations in both years. Plant population did not influence seed yield in either location or year. In general, seed yield was increased by planting on narrow beds or when double drill rows were planted on beds. These results suggest that pinto bean producers should be able to increase production by planting the crop in either a double row arangement on 30 in. beds, or in single rows on beds less than 30 in. in width eng