Читать книгу Dry Beans and Pulses Production, Processing, and Nutrition онлайн

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With the development of upright lodging‐resistant varieties, an increasing number of growers are direct harvesting the bean crop, which saves time, fuel, labor, and equipment. In Michigan approximately 90% of the dry bean crop is direct harvested. But only small‐seeded and a few medium‐seeded varieties can be direct harvested as larger‐seeded types are better suited to traditional harvest methods. Following harvest, beans are transported in bulk to local elevators where the crop is cleaned, stored, graded, sold, and shipped into national and international markets. Since bean varieties from the same commercial class are often comingled at the elevator, all commercial varieties need to meet similar quality standards for seed size, shape, color, and canning quality. Although the largest production areas are located east of the continental divide, the majority of bean seed for planting is produced in the semiarid states of Idaho, Washington, and California. The occurrence of endemic seed‐borne diseases such as common bacterial blight and anthracnose limits seed production in the Midwest as plants may become infected, preventing their sale as seed. The absence of these pathogens and strict quarantine in states such as Idaho ensures that disease‐free seed can be produced. Higher yields in these irrigated production areas help offset transportation and irrigation costs of western‐produced seed. Commercial growers in the Midwest generally prefer western‐grown seed, as it has the assurance of being disease free. Some growers are willing to pay the higher price for western seed by spreading the cost over more than one growing season as they will plant bin‐run seed the second season, assuming no disease problems arise.