Relation of Imbibition and Drying on Cotyledon Cracking in Snap Beans, Phaseolus vulgaris L.1

The effect of imbibition and drying rates on colyledon cracking in snap beans, Phaseolus vulgaris L., was studied. Six snap bean cultivars, representing various degrees of susceptibility to cotyledon cracking, were compared. Data indicated that differences in the rate of imbibition and drying were not responsible for differences in susceptibility to cotyledon cracking. The crack-resistant ‘Improved Higrade’ and moderately-resistant ‘Earliwax’ imbibed water faster than the crack-susceptible cultivars. Anatomical studies indicated that cracking was more frequent across the cell walls of the cotyledon cells than along the middle lamellae in all cultivars.