The edges of my French bean leaves are turning brown and curling, some leaves have brown dead patches, and the pods are not filling well. I do not see insects. The crop looked fine until a hot dry spell. What is causing the leaf scorch?
3 Answers
Browning and curling at the leaf margins with dead patches and poor pod filling, appearing after a hot dry spell and with no insects seen, often points to a physiological problem rather than a pest, commonly potassium deficiency or water stress causing marginal leaf scorch. Beans are sensitive to swings between dry and flooded soil. Check the irrigation pattern first, keep soil moisture even with mulching and frequent lighter irrigation in hot weather rather than long dry gaps. A soil test will show if potassium is low, and if so apply a balanced potassium fertiliser, since potassium also helps pod filling. Rule out a leaf disease by checking for spots or fungal growth, and rule out salt buildup if you use saline water. Get a soil test and a leaf checked at your KVK before adding fertiliser, so you correct the real cause and do not waste inputs.
A soil test showed my potassium was low. After correcting it the pod filling improved noticeably the next crop.
For me it was irrigation. Long gaps then a heavy flood scorched the edges. Frequent lighter watering fixed it.