Three trials were conducted, two in Viçosa and one in Coimbra, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, to determine the most adequate harvest date of bush snap bean cv. Novirex. In Viçosa trials were run in April and August, 1997; in Coimbra in March, 1998. Approximately fifteen seeds per meter were planted in rows 0.5 m apart. Irrigation and insect control were done when necessary. Five harvest data, at intervals of two to four days, were studied. First harvest was made before the end of flowering period and when there was a significant number of commercial pods, but without old pods. For the April trial the highest yield of commercial pods (between 8.6 and 10.1 t/ha) was attained between 63 and 71 days after emergency (DAE). For the August trial, the highest yield was achieved at 56 and 60 DAE (7.4 and 7.7 t/ha, respectively). In Coimbra, harvests made at 46 and 49 DAE provided the highest yield (8.1 and 8.4 t/ha, respectively). The absence of flowers or presence of few flowers was indicative of the most adequate harvest date for highest yield of commercial pods in the three trials. In this flowering stage, pods had achieved maximum development.
Phaseolus vulgaris; yield
