Soil:

Embden sandy loam and Helca sandy loam; pH=6.5; 2.4% organic matter; soil-P was very high;

soil-K was high to very high; soil-S was low to medium.

Previous crop:

2004 - carrot and cabbage; 2003 - potato and sweet corn; 2002 - cabbage, carrot, edible bean, field corn, onion, pepper, potato, soybean, sugar beet, sweet corn and wheat.

Seedbed

Preparation:

Chisel plow on April 14. Disked on May 6. Multiweeded (field cultivated) twice on May 19 to smooth the seedbed and to incorporate herbicide.

Planting:

Planted on May 19 in 30-inch rows. All beans were inoculated just prior to planting.

Plots:

Plots were 17 ft long by 10 ft (4 rows) wide. There were four reps.

Fertilizer:

On April 15, broadcast 26 lbs N/acre and 30 lbs S/acre as 21-0-0-24.

Irrigation:

Surface drip irrigation as needed.

Pest

control:

Raptor + NIS (4 oz/acre + 0.25 % v/v on June 7) and by hand weeding. Gramoxone + NIS (12.8 oz/acre + 0.125% v/v on September 22).

Harvest:

Harvested on October 3 with a Hege plot combine.