David in Normandy wrote in
. fr:

For the first time I'm growing broad beans. However I always grow
runner beans and collect some of the dried pods for the following
years seeds. Runner bean variety "Streamline" or at least that is what
it said on the original packet ten years ago! I've always found it a
good strong variety, pest resistant and the pods string-less. Could
broad beans cross pollinate with the runner beans and lead to hybrid
bean seeds for planting next year? I'm also assuming such crosses
would not be desirable?


David, I can only speak from my experience over the last 4? years.
I save seed from all beans and I have not noticed any X pollination at all.
Time will tell?
My broad bean "Aquadulce Claudia" already have small pods BTW, and "The
Sutton" are about ready to flower.
I only know of one chap who grows runner bean "Streamline" and I have some
seed from him, (they are rather old) and with what you have said about them
perhaps it's time I gave them a try. I have grown "Scarlet Emperor" since I
started gardening and have found them a bit stringy later on so maybe time
to try something new(to me). Or both.
I am sure that you have resarched growing broad beans, but it will do no
harm if I advise you to nip out the top of each plant when pods have set to
avoid greenfly, THE pest on broad beans from my experience.

I hope you find all this useful.
Baz