The green bean is a species of American origin. The earliest evidence of its cultivation dates from 5000 a.C. During the expeditions of the early sixteenth Century it was introduced into Spain and later to the rest of Europe.
Description and characteristics:
The green bean is a fast growing annual plant. The main stem is herbaceous. According to its size or aspect, there are dwarf varieties that are upright and about 30 to 40 centimeters high, and climbing varieties that can reach a height of 2 to 3 meters, twining anti-clockwise around a cane, the latter also have twining stems with tendrils and are usually more productive and have a longer cycle than the dwarf varieties. The leaves are simple, acuminate and spear-shaped, variable size depending on the variety. The flowers can of different colours, unique to each variety, however the most important varieties have white flowers. The flowers are usually in clusters of 4 to 8, whose flower-stalk grows from the axils of the leaves or from the terminals of some of the stems. This pod vegetable is variable in colour, shape and dimensions, with 4 to 6 seeds inside. The beans can be green, yellow mottled with brown or red over green, etc.., although the most popular are the green and yellow ones, that can be cylindrical or strip-like.
The optimum temperature for its cultivation varies between 15 and 30 º C. When the temperature is between 12 and 15 º C the vegetation is not very vigorous and below 15 ° C most of the beans curls up into a "hook" shape. Above 30 ° C the pods can also be deformed and the fruit and flowers drop. The optimum relative humidity ranges between 65 and 75 %.
In Motril the varieties that are most commonly grown are the flattened-type bean, which can be classified in three types:
• Semi-short green beans: varieties that are planted early and late avoiding the main winter, the beans are smaller, thinner and less productive because they have a shorter cycle. They are grown in greenhouses and outside in the fertile soils of our plain in spring and summer.
• Semi-long green beans: varieties that are planted in winter (late October and early November). They are very productive plants and highly valued for consumption. They are grown in greenhouses.
• Helda type green beans: Very long variety of green bean, highly productive and it is cultivated mainly in greenhouses in our area.
NUTRITIONAL VALUE
Green beans supply an important contribution of vitamin B9, fibre, potassium, carbohydrates, magnesium, vitamin B, iron and carotenoids.
Thanks to their vitamin B9 content, green beans contribute to the formation of blood cells and red blood cells, helping to prevent anemia and to maintain healthy skin. Besides being essential for proper cell division and growth (essential during pregnancy and childhood), vitamin B9 (or folic acid) is involved in the metabolism of proteins, DNA and RNA, reducing the risk of deficiencies in the neural tube of the fetus (structure that will lead to central nervous system). This vitamin also reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, preventing certain cancers such as leukemia, it stimulates the formation of digestive acids and helps to increase your appetite.
Green beans, due to their fibre content, help to provide favorable conditions for the elimination of certain harmful substances like cholesterol and aid in the reduction of glucose and fatty acids in the blood and in the elimination of carcinogens.
As they are rich in magnesium, they help to improve both muscle and neuronal tone, favoring the transmission of nerve impulses, and the contraction and relaxation of muscles. The presence of magnesium makes the green beans effective in strengthening the skeletal system and the teeth, and it is very convenient for the cardiovascular system, helping to maintain a stable heart rate and blood pressure.
As green beans are rich in iron they help in the renewal of blood cells, allowing oxygen to be transported from the lungs to various organs, such as muscles, the heart or the brain, iron being essential for certain functions of the brain and for learning capacity. Iron increases resistance to diseases by strengthening the defenses against microorganisms. This food is very beneficial in cases of iron deficiency, whether as a result of poor dietary habits, during menstruation or pregnancy, or after accidents or operations where blood has been lost.
Due to the high concentration of carotenoids, green beans act as an antioxidant preventing cellular aging and protecting the body against free radicals and cancer development.
Areas where the green bean is grown in Motril:
It is grown in the different greenhouse areas, being the third most important greenhouse crop in our area. It is also grown outside during the spring-summer cycle.