A review of four comprehensive sources of information reveals that cul
tural practices, i.e. practices not employing host resistance, pestici
des, or specific biological control agents, are important to the manag
ement of all of the 50 principal diseases of common bean (Phaseolus vu
lgaris) and essential to the control of 40. Thirty-one groups of cultu
ral practices contribute to the control of bean diseases. The practice
s most frequently recommended are rotation, pathogen-free seed, weed c
ontrol, and tillage. The number of cultural practices recommended per
disease ranges from 1 to 15. Several precepts relating to the developm
ent and rational use of cultural practices in bean disease control are
derived from this quantitative analysis. Control of diseases through
cultural practices is essential to sustainable bean health.