Abstract In each of 2 cultivars of dry bean, populations of fruits having either low or high abscission potentials were established by removing early opening flowers from half the plants and leaving all flowers on the remainder. Fruits were harvested 4 to 5 days after anthesis and separated according to length, which was negatively correlated with abscission potential. Abscisic acid (ABA), phaseic acid (PA), and dihydrophaseic acid (DPA) contents were determined in methanol extracts of both pods and pedicels, using electron capture gas liquid chromatography. The content of these 3 compounds in pedicels was not significantly affected by cultivar, fruit size or flower removal. ABA content of pods was positively correlated with fruit load but was not related to fruit size. Phaseic acid content increased with fruit size and with fruit load but was not affected by cultivar. Content of DPA was unaffected by pod size or fruit load. We conclude that levels of extractable ABA, PA, and DPA do not regulate fruit abscission in dry bean.