Mexican Bean Beetle resistance in pole beans (P. vulgaris)

[Big Onion]

Hello!

In my location, it is practically impossible to grow pole beans without coverings or insecticides due to Mexican Bean Beetle pressure. I have been searching for varieties that are resistant, but the only data I have found has been on different species of beans that are more resistant than vulgaris. I have emailed my USDA extension, which has told me 'as far as we know, there has been no trialing on MBB resistance in vulgaris.' I've emailed some seed sellers to see if any of them had observational information on resistance, but I've not gotten any confirmation.

So, it's time to start trialing! But I don't really have unlimited $$$ to sink into random seedstock for a project at the moment, so I'm wondering if any of you have leads on varieties that may have some genetic resistance to MBB? I don't care if they're green or dry beans, and I prefer climbing type, but would be interested in bush type if they actually are shown to be resistant. Mainly I just want P. vulgaris, and I am not interested in hybridization with other species, unless it's the only way to achieve some level of MBB resistance.

Have any of you noticed anything in your beans?

[reed]

I have, but I'm sorry to say, not a lot. I have one pole bean in particular that I've had for three or four decades that seems to do a bit better than most, at least usually. It started as Kentucky Wonder, and I guess it still is. I just always saved its seeds an in a year when I had a choice, I saved seeds from what I call clean pods. That is pods that dried to a nice tan color with as few blemishes as possible or better yet, sometimes none at all. Over the years the seeds got lighter color and flatter, and the pods got wider and straighter. I didn't select for that, it just happened.

As far as the bugs go, they are worse some years more than others and they were bad this year. They chomped one lima's too and the runners and the wild Phaseolus polystachios. The only beans they didn't bother was Hyacinth beans. The bugs are always worse, in a droughty year too and this year we had two six-week long dry periods.

I've been doing the clean pod thing with all my beans for probably the last ten years but this year I was hard pressed to find any except a few on the KY Wonder.

[Jerry Irving]

Hello Big Onion,

Have you tried planting potatoes with your beans?
According to Companion Planting by Brian Lowell: "Potatoes are a great companion to beans because they will repel the Mexican bean beetle."

I hope this was helpful.