Bean – Anthracnose

Q: My mother, who lives in Kentucky, is about to quit growing green beans due to some type of fungus that appears on them. My wife, who is a “Georgia Master Gardener”, identified this as being caused by saving the seeds from year to year.

This year my mother acquired new seeds, three different kinds and they all have this symptom. The beans mature properly and she gets to pick one mess for eating and then will go back the following day and they all have big spots.

She has a friend in a different part of the county with whom she shared the same seed and the friend has no problems. Could it be something in the ground?

A: Your Mom’s beans have anthracnose (an THRAK nose). This disease is carried by seed, exactly as your wife described.

It inhabits the soil and is very difficult to eradicate.

See Common Diseases of Beans

…and prepare to admit that your Master gardener wife was precisely correct!

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