Breeding Common Bean (phaseolus Vulgaris L.) for Resistance to Abiotic and Biotic Stresses, Sustainable Production, and Enhanced Nutritional Value (from W1150)
Grant
Overview
abstract
Broadly adapted high yielding bean cultivars resistant to multiple abiotic and biotic stresses are not available. Availability of such cultivars will reduce production cost and dependence on fertilizer, irrigation water, pesticide, and hand labor. They also will facilitate sustainable high- and low-input organic and conventional production and increase competitiveness of bean growers nationally and internationally. Continual search for and use of germplasm carrying useful traits is essential for development of broadly adapted, high yielding, bean cultivars resistant to multiple abiotic and biotic stresses. Popular bean cultivars, elite breeding lines, and selected donors of useful traits are used to develop broad-based crosses. Selection for resistance to diseases in the greenhouse and laboratory combined with field evaluation for seed yield and
other agronomic traits in stressed and non-stressed production systems are carried out. Breeding lines thus developed are then tested sequentially in an Adaptation Nursery (IDBAN), Idaho State Trials (IDBT), Western Regional Bean Trial (WRBT), National Cooperative Dry Bean Nursery (CDBN), and other nurseries are used to identify new cultivars.