Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » East Lansing, Michigan » Sugarbeet and Bean Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #307412
Title: Registration of ‘Zenith' black bean

Author
item KELLY, JAMES - Michigan State University
item VANER, GREG - Michigan Dry Bean Production Research Advisory Board
item Cichy, Karen
item WRIGHT, EVAN - Michigan State University

Submitted to: Journal of Plant Registrations
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/30/2014
Publication Date: 11/14/2014
Citation: Kelly, J., Vaner, G., Cichy, K.A., Wright, E. 2014. Registration of ‘Zenith' black bean. Journal of Plant Registrations. 9:15-20.

Interpretive Summary: ‘Zenith’ black bean is an upright, full-season cultivar with resistance and excellent canning quality. Zenith was developed using pedigree breeding method to the F4 generation followed by pure line selection for disease, agronomic and quality traits. In 4-yr of field trials, Zenith yielded 3078 kg ha-1, flowered in 45 d and matured in 100 d on average. Zenith combines high yield potential with erect architecture with full-season maturity in a black seed type. Zenith has resistance to lodging, high pod placement within plant structure making it suitable for direct harvest under narrow row production systems. The upright architecture also contributes to avoidance of white mold, a disease that is intensified by narrow row production systems. Zenith produces seed with excellent processing quality in the black bean seed class.

Technical Abstract: ‘Zenith’ black bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) (Reg. no. CV- , PI -), developed by Michigan State University AgBioResearch was released in 2014 as an upright, full-season cultivar with anthracnose [caused by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum (Sacc. et Magnus) Lams.-Scrib] resistance and excellent canning quality. Zenith was developed using pedigree breeding method to the F4 generation followed by pure line selection for disease, agronomic and quality traits. In 4-yr of field trials, Zenith yielded 3078 kg ha-1, flowered in 45 d and matured in 100 d on average. Plants averaged 53 cm in height, with lodging resistance score of 1.4 and seed weight of 21.7 g 100 seed-1. Zenith combines high yield potential with erect architecture with full-season maturity in a black seed type. Zenith has resistance to lodging, high pod placement within plant structure making it suitable for direct harvest under narrow row production systems. The upright architecture also contributes to avoidance of white mold, a disease that is intensified by narrow row production systems. Zenith possesses resistance to specific races of rust, and virus. Zenith produces seed that meets industry standards for export and packaging and was rated highest in canned bean color in the black bean seed class.