ALTERNATIVE WEED MANAGEMENT-SYSTEMS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF KIDNEY BEANS (PHASEOLUS-VULGARIS)

Weed management experiments with kidney beans were conducted at one ir rigated site in 1991 and at two irrigated sites near Staples, MN durin g 1992. Green foxtail was the most difficult weed to control at the th ree research sites which agrees with survey results from dry bean grow ers regarding their worst weed problems. Hairy nightshade increased ra pidly when weed management methods were reduced. Dry bean seed yields were highest in cultivated check plots on the farmer's field and in co nventional practices plots at the Irrigation Research Center. Net econ omic returns, averaged over 1991 and 1992, for producing kidney beans at the Irrigation Research Center were $899/ha using conventional prac tices, $791/ha with cover crop practices, $734/ha with cultivated chec ks, $690/ha with herbicides only, and $208/ha on weedy checks. Kidney beans are an economical crop for North Central growers, but adequate w eed management technologies are necessary for profitable production.