Akçabelen (Çetmi) Sugar Bean

Akçabelen (Çetmi) Sugar Bean is a traditional bean variety cultivated within the boundaries of Beyşehir district in Konya province, Türkiye, particularly in Akçabelen Neighborhood. It was officially registered on 29 August 2019 and is protected under its geographical origin. The registration was carried out by the Akçabelen Village Agricultural Development Cooperative. Geographical indication registration safeguards the product’s uniqueness and quality characteristics under Law No. 6769 on Industrial Property.

Geographical Location and Climate Characteristics

Akçabelen Neighborhood is situated at an elevation of 1214 meters on the slopes of the Taurus Mountains. The region is surrounded by Karacadağ, Karadağ, Dikenli Dağ, İpeler Dağı and Ekinlik Dağı to the east. During the growing period of the bean (20 April – 10 September), the difference between day and night temperatures is high; this extends the vegetative period, delays ripening, and enhances the bean’s resilience.

Soil and Water Resources

The region features extensive forest areas as its natural vegetation. Most agricultural lands were formerly forested, resulting in soils rich in organic matter with homogeneous nutrient distribution. There is no salinity issue. Irrigation water is supplied from the Derebucak Dam and groundwater sources.

Production and Seed Characteristics

Akçabelen (Çetmi) Sugar Bean is cultivated using the same seeds over many years, with no external seed imports. It can be consumed both as dry beans and fresh green beans. When harvested fresh and allowed to mature, the pods turn red and are marketed as barbunya.

Agricultural Practices

• Soil preparation: Tilled to a depth of approximately 20 cm in autumn.
• Sowing: Conducted in April–May at a row spacing of 50 cm and a planting depth of 5–6 cm, either by hand or using a dibber.
• Irrigation: Performed using drip or sprinkler methods based on soil conditions, starting from emergence. During July–August, when the plant has its highest water demand during flowering and pod formation, irrigation is applied every four days for 6–8 hours.
• Fertilization: Base fertilizer is applied at sowing; top-dressing with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is applied according to the plant’s growth stage.
• Maintenance: Weeding, trellising, pest control and weed management are carried out with strict attention.

Biological and Morphological Characteristics

• Vegetative period: 105.67 – 115.33 days
• Plant height: 169.75 – 211.1 cm
• Number of pods per plant: 9.87 – 11.33
• Seeds per pod: 4.22 – 4.65
• Weight of 100 seeds: 46.95 – 59.54 g
• Protein content: 19.47% – 25.13%
• Seed yield: 269.96 – 377.86 kg/ha

Technological Properties

• Dry weight: 43.22 – 48.19 g
• Water absorption capacity: 0.5 – 0.55 g per seed
• Cooking time: 23.6 – 84.8 minutes
• Swelling index: 2.38 – 2.64 ml per seed

Harvesting and Processing

At the end of the vegetative period, mature plants are hand-harvested and left to dry in bundles in the field. After drying, they are threshed using a flail.

Monitoring

The production of Akçabelen (Çetmi) Sugar Bean is monitored under the coordination of the Akçabelen Agricultural Development Cooperative. Monitoring is conducted by the Beyşehir District Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, Beyşehir Chamber of Agriculture, Konya Bahri Dağdaş International Agricultural Research Institute and relevant university departments. Monitoring covers all stages from production to marketing and is carried out not only through routine annual inspections but also in response to complaints or specific requests.