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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Mayaguez, Puerto Rico » Tropical Crops and Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #232590
Title: Evaluation of common bean for drought tolerance in Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico

Author
item Porch, Timothy - Tim
item RAMIREZ, VICTOR - UNIV SANTA ROSA, COLOMBIA
item SANTANA, DAMARIS - UNIV OF PUERTO RICO
item HARMSEN, ERIC - UNIF OF PUERTO RICO

Submitted to: Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2009
Publication Date: 6/8/2009
Citation: Porch, T.G., Ramirez, V.H., Santana, D., Harmsen, E.W. 2009. Evaluation of drought tolerance in common bean germplasm in Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science 195:328-334.

Interpretive Summary: Common bean is sensitive to inadequate water supply during plant development. Drought tolerance, or tolerance to reduced water supply, is an increasingly important trait in common bean given the loss of water resources, a shift in production areas, and increasing input costs. The objective of this study was to test common bean varieties, most developed for tolerance to drought, for drought tolerance in the semi-arid climate of Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico. In this study, we found that the varieties tested varied in their response to drought, measured as seed yield. The experiment was carried out over two years and during each year a trial was planted under drought stress and the other under reduced levels of drought stress. The use of two treatments facilitated the identification of drought tolerant varieties that also had good yield potential under more optimal conditions. Based on the results of seed yield, varieties were identified with superior yield potential under the tested environment. Specifically, G21212, SEA 5, and SER 21 performed well in both years under both treatment conditions and thus are good candidates for use as parents in drought stress improvement and genetic analysis. In addition, given adaptation, the superior varieties identified can be employed for common bean production in other drought prone areas.

Technical Abstract: Drought tolerance is an increasingly important trait in common bean given the reduction in water resources, a shift in production areas, and increasing input costs. The objective of this study was to evaluate germplasm previously developed for drought tolerance under drought stress and reduced stress treatments in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico. Significant genotype, treatment and year effects were found, as well as significant interactions in the split-plot analysis. Because of the variability in conditions and stressors imposed year to year, the use of drought stress and reduced stress treatments facilitated the identification of drought tolerant germplasm with good yield potential under more optimal conditions. Based on the results of yield under drought stress, and drought stress indices including the drought tolerance index (DTI), percent yield reduction (YR), and geometric mean (GM), genotypes were identified with superior yield potential under the tested environment. Among the superior genotypes identified, G21212, SEA 5, and SER 21 performed well in both years under both treatment conditions and thus are good candidates for parents in drought stress improvement and genetic analysis.