"Macky it looks like my problem what that I had a few dead seeds and I did not remove them in time so they contaminated the whole batch." That issue is the main reason I would recommend against pre-soaking beans or other legumes in bulk - by any method - unless conditions make direct sowing unreliable, or planting quantities too large for pots to be sensible. Any pathogen or contaminant present could easily infect the entire batch, and all could be lost. I also have a suspicion (purely conjecture on my part) that something is lost in soaking bare seeds, that the beans release compounds as they begin to germinate which - if allowed to remain on or near the seed - would offer some protection from pathogens. Any such compounds would be lost in the soaking solution. Soaking beans in their pots after planting, however, is much more reliable. Any bad seeds are likely to infect only other seeds in the same pot. Using the methods I have previously posted on this forum, I typically get very high germination rates in peat pots, using sterile media, and boiled or filtered water. This year, of the 19 beans I started in pots, 12 were from 2006-2008, and all had from 90-100% germination. While I start a lot of beans in pots with great success, I understand that not everyone has the space to do so... but there are options. If you plant 2 beans per cell & both germinate, you can transplant those pairs at double the spacing you would otherwise use, and get a lot more plants per flat. I use the 32-cell peat pots this way, and for pole beans, this would give you 64 plants per flat... which is a lot of beans. You could also start large numbers of beans (or peas) in a flat of sand, from which they could be carefully pulled with minimal root damage. If using this method, be prepared to water the bare-root seedlings immediately after transplanting, and don't give the roots a chance to dry out. My preferred method is a variation of this, with peat strips nestled in a bed of sand. The moist sand prevents the tap root from being air pruned, and if this root is handled carefully & coiled into the bottom of the hole during transplant, there will be little to no transplant shock. I've previously stated that beans were poorly suited to starting under lights, and for the shop lights used by many of us for seed starting for years (self included) that was true. Barring the use of expensive grow bulbs or re-wiring the ballasts, shop lights could not put out enough light, and bean seedlings quickly became leggy. My experience with a new T8 setup - using 6-bulb hi-bay reflective fixtures - has changed my opinion. Due to a cold snap (actually several cold snaps) I was unable to put my seedlings outside directly after germination, as I normally would. The seedlings stayed under the lights during this period, remaining stocky & growing normally. When finally put outside, they had no shock from sunlight. I'll try to post a photo of this setup soon, I believe it would be of great use to others who grow beans in less than ideal climates.

I use to presprout my snow peas, and I would just gently set them in a slight trough in the soil and gently put dirt over them. Why do you presprout your beans? I did it because the mice were eating the seeds, but not when I would presprout them. I totally forgot to presprout this spring, and didn't get any snow peas.

My first guess would be cutworms, since they would love to hide beneath all of the debris. My second guess would be earwigs, for the same reason. My third guess would still be slugs, possibly in combination with other factors. Or... looking at the chopped off stems, it could be herbivore damage, possibly from rabbits or deer. I would suggest scraping away all of the organic material, to see if that reduces the rate of damage. If that lessens the damage, the mulch could be restored once the plants get larger. If you are not using a fence, you might try surrounding a few plants with chicken wire or hardware cloth... if the covered plants survive while the uncovered plants continue to be damaged, then herbivores are the most likely culprit.

I think I posted my testing of mixed sprouted grain a few years ago but you may have not been interested at that time...actually I doubt anyone cared, lol. Maybe Grainlady. I tested a dozen grains and most 'woke up' the germ embryo in 12-24 hours with a few rinses in filtered water a couple times. You should sprout your own. No different than sprouting any seed for growing except just the tail of the embryo is needed for a 'sprouted' grain. It is no longer the bean but on the way to a plant. Easily/easier digested. Cooked the same way. High heat for 5 minutes, then a simmer for 30-45. Fresh bean so much better than shelved grocery purchased. I make a mixed sprouted grain every weekend. And start micro-greens for salads just on auto-pilot. I don't pressure cook, just my grain pot as I need to start a few varieties 15 minutes ahead, then add the quicker cooking beans/grains, then the final ones 10 min later. No trouble at all. Just a back burner while prepping our usual Sunday night dinner. Lat night we had mixed grain with ShrimpCreole. And enough grain, like every week, for a few days of a breakfast grain.... 5-6 cups, not a big load. It has a NYC name for vegans. Forgot what it is called...but a pearl barley? cocoa base almond/cashew cream, then mixed sprouted grain, granola, fresh fruit...mixed nuts. Addicting and I have zero allergies but love it. Very gut tolerant.