OPTIMIZING BEAN CULTIVATION: MYCORRHIZAL APPLICATIONS AND MITIGATING PHYTOPATHOLOGICAL CHALLENGES IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

Abstract

Of the 60 million tons of legumes produced globally, beans account for 17,662,028. Turkey ranks third among the producers of green beans worldwide, with an annual production of 587, 967. Bean rust disease (Uromyces appendiculatus), root rot disease (Rhizoctonia solani), and bean common mosaic disease (Bean common mosaic potyvirus) are the primary afflictions affecting bean crops in the Aegean Region. Diseases can result in significant crop loss and reduced seed quality. Therefore, it is crucial to carry out pest control activities using sustainable agricultural techniques to minimize the impacts on human and environmental health, agroecosystems, and biological balance. This study aimed to establish mycorrhiza applications in beans as a sustainable approach for plant protection activities, providing more profitable production advantage by reducing fungicide use when combined within the framework of integrated disease management. Based on these findings, mycorrhiza application reduced rust infection by 40% and BCMV infection by 30.2% in the sensitive genotypes. Our field experiments demonstrated that the application of mycorrhiza resulted in 34% reduction of rust disease outbreaks and 65% less use of fungicides compared to the untreated plants.