Green Bean Diseases & Pests

Prevent green bean pests and disease with good gardening practices.

Green beans, also known as snap beans or string beans, are a versatile garden vegetable that is relatively easy to grow and maintain. Whether you use transplants or plant green beans from seed, be wary of common pests and diseases that may decrease crop production.

Types

Green beans are commonly afflicted by a variety of diseases and pests. Diseases include bean mosaic diseases, bacterial bean blight, white mold, gray mold, anthracnose, rust and root rot. Common pests include bean leaf beetles, corn borers, aphids, Mexican bean beetles, leafhoppers and spider mites.

Symptoms

Symptoms related to green bean diseases and pests include yellow-green plants, decreased production of pods, yellow or brown spots on leaves, holes in leaves and pod damage. Pests may be visible on the plants. Analyze symptoms and take a sample of the damaged area in to your local university extension for sampling in order to get an accurate diagnosis.

Prevention/Solution

Prevent pests and diseases with good watering practices. Green beans are sensitive to overwatering, and diseases such as root rot are more likely to occur in waterlogged conditions. Choose plants that are resistant to bean mosaic disease and always plant beans in disease-free soil sites. If your plants develop a serious problem, pesticide use may be necessary.

References

• University of Illinois Extension: Beans
• Iowa State University: Green Bean Production
• Ohio State University: Growing Peas and Snap Beans in the Garden