Breadth of beans continues expansion

Breeding advancements continue to make beans more resistant to disease while providing higher yields. What’s more, the range of shapes, colors, and varying levels of sweetness continues to expand and provide professional growers and home gardeners with easy-to-grow, nutritional, and tasty options. Here are some from Syngenta Flowers.

For more: Syngenta Flowers, www.syngentafhg.com.

Production:

• The Furano is a Romano-type flat bean with a large, “meaty” offering that delivers exceptional flavor. The upright bushes provide for easy harvesting. It adapts to most growing conditions.

Maturity: 54 days
Approximate pod length (inches): 5.5
Average sieve size: flat
Pod color: medium green
Disease resistance: HR: BCMV
 

• A sweeter flavor than most is provided by the improved Jade II. These plants produce multiple harvests of long, straight pods and high yields. Its color is a rich green: hence, the name.

Maturity: 65 days
Approximate pod length (inches): 6.5

• Another sweet variety is the Kentucky Blue, an All-America Selections (AAS) winner. These pole beans produce dark-green pods. Six-foot vines can be harvested throughout the growing season.

Maturity: 60 days
Approximate pod length (inches): 85
Average sieve size: 4
Pod color: medium-dark green
Disease resistance: IR: Ua

• Finally, borrowing a page from the good things come in small packages truism is the Masai, a dwarf, gourmet French filet bean that is well-suited for container gardens. The beans are petite and slim and they stay tender for several days after harvest.

Maturity: 51 days
Approximate pod length (inches): 6
Average sieve size: 5
Pod color: medium-dark green
Disease resistance: HR: BCMV

Did you know? Beans are high in antioxidants and can, therefore, help slow signs of aging while helping to prevent a variety of cancers.