Land preparation
Prepare the land well in advance by removing all weeds and leaving a fine seed bed.
Planting
Seed sowing should be carried out on moist soils
Relay planting can be carried out in a maize field just before harvesting so that maize stalks are used as stakes
Two seeds are planted at 75 cm between rows and 20 cm between plants within a row
Secure stakes between two planting stations at second trifoliate leaf stage
Establish fast growing trees around the farm to provide stakes.
Fertilizer application
Fertile soils and constant moisture will give a good crop establishment and high yields:
Use organic/botanical fertilizers (e.g. Vernonia spp. or Tithonia sp.) leaves
Use animal manure or compost (these should be well decomposed)
Use inorganic fertilizers such as Diammonium phosphate- DAP (18: 46: P2O5) at planting and Calcium ammonium nitrate- CAN (27% N) as top dress.

Weed control
The bean crop has to be kept weed free for good performance. The first weeding should be carried out within 2 weeks after planting. Subsequent weeding can be done as required.
Disease management
Diseases are among the major constriants to bean production:
Use clean seed that is free from diseases
Use disease resistant/tolerant genotypes
Adopt timely planting during the season
Practice crop rotation and/crop mixtures
Remove all crop residues from the field
Use organic pesticides e.g. a mixture of animal milk + wood ash + water
Judicious use of conventional chemical pesticides
Use a combination of the above (integrated disease management-IDM).
Field insect pest management
Insect pests account for various levels of losses in the field. Management include:
Timely planting
Crop rotation and intercropping
Use organic and botanical insecticides
(e.g. cow urine, ash, neem seed oil and powder, kerosene and soap, Vernonia sp. and Tithonia spp., etc.
Usichanganye mavuno mapya na ya zamani
Hefadhi maharage kwenye vyombo visivyorushusu hewa kupita
Tumia madawa ya asili
Inapobidi tumia dawa za viwandani
Tumia mbinu zaidi ya moja
KUMBUKA: MAVUMO MENGI KWA ENEO KIDOGO

Introduction
Climbing beans, unlike bush beans require support (stakes) to trail on. Tree branches, other crops (e.g. maize stalks and fruit trees) and fence materials can be used. Climbing beans give 3-4 times more yield than bush beans.
Cultivars
The following cultivars have successfully been tested and proved to be suitable to farmers in different locations in eastern and central Africa: IZO 201297, MORE 90018, R34, R67, R71, R125, R143, R158, R173 and R180.
Characteristics
Climbing beans are high yielding, producing 3-4 times more compared to other common bean types
Have proved to be tolerant to insect pests (particularly bean stem maggots- BSM), diseases and drought
They require very small land area
Enriches soils through atmospheric nitrogen fixation
Plants provide cover to the soil
Crop residues provide nutritive livestock forage.

Storage pest management
Timely harvesting
Appropriate grain drying
Maintaning store hygiene
Avoid mixing old and newly harvested grain in the same store
Use organic/botanical pesticides (ash, Vernonia spp. and Tephrosia sp. leaf powder, chillis, etc.)
Judicious use of conventional insecticides
Use a combination of strategies (IPM).

Cultivation of Climbing Beans

For more information contact:
International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
P O Box 2704
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: (+255-27) 2502268/2508557
Fax: (+255-27) 2508557
E-mail: ciattz@habari.co.tz

Remember: More production from small
land area

Use tolerant/resistant bean genotypes
Judicious use of conventional insecticides
Use different combinations of the above (IPM).

Common bush bean

Climbing beans

Traditional pesticides

Bean grain processing for storage

Burn all residues

Door

Drum with grains