Be sure to have spring field bean seeds tested if considering planting as home-saved seed, growers are being urged. The cost of testing is modest and the potential upsides from avoiding planting seed with health issues or poor germination can be significant.

That is the message from ProCam head of crop production, Mike Thornton, ahead of growers finalising spring 2026 cropping decisions.

Mike says testing of bean seed is particularly important because of a lack of chemical options for controlling certain seed-borne pest and disease problems, and because beans can be prone to reduced germination.

“With a relatively small area of spring beans grown for seed multiplication, it’s not unusual for growers to plant home-saved seed,” says Mike.

“However, don’t assume the seed will be okay. It’s extremely important to have it tested – not only for germination but also for the presence of the damaging problems of stem nematode and the disease of Ascochyta.

“There’s a lack of seed and foliar treatments available to control these problems. So it’s essential to give the crop the best chance of success by planting clean seed.”

Planting seed infested with stem nematode not only risks potentially big yield losses, says Mike, but can also spread the nematode to new fields where it can survive in the soil for years.

Similarly, he says once spring beans have lost leaf area to Ascochyta, the yield damage is done, and its effects are likely to be even greater in crops under stress.

For best practice, Mike says it is vital to ensure representative samples of seed lots are sent for testing. Once test results are available, he urges growers to consult with their agronomist before making planting decisions.