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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Mayaguez, Puerto Rico » Tropical Crops and Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #286994

Title: Registration of tepary germplasm with multiple-stress tolerance, TARS-Tep 22 and TARS-Tep 32

Author
item Porch, Timothy - Tim
item BEAVER, JAMES - University Of Puerto Rico
item BRICK, M - Colorado State University

Submitted to: Journal of Plant Registrations
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/18/2013
Publication Date: 5/17/2013
Citation: Porch Clay, T.G., Beaver, J.S., Brick, M.A. 2013. Registration of tepary germplasm with multiple-stress tolerance, TARS-Tep 22 and TARS-Tep 32. Journal of Plant Registrations. 7:358-364.

Interpretive Summary: As a result of climate change, high ambient temperature and drought stress pose major constraints to grain legume production. Radical approaches are needed to ensure production of protein-rich grain legumes under predicted climate change scenarios. Tepary (Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray) is a drought and heat tolerant species native to the Sonora desert and thus adapted to hot and dry climates. Although currently consumed mostly by Native American Indian populations, this nutritious crop has widespread production potential on marginal agricultural lands. Two tepary lines, TARS-Tep 22 and TARS-Tep 32, were developed by the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, the University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Experiment Station, and Colorado State University. These tepary beans were selected for multiple stress-tolerance including, high ambient temperature and drought stress, and resistance to bacterial blight and to seed weevils, as well as for larger seed size and more erect architecture. This release represents the first published release of improved tepary as a result of hybridization and selection. The use of this improved germplasm by farmers in sub-optimal legume production zones affected by abiotic/biotic stress, or by breeding programs for improving agronomic quality and stress tolerance in tepary, can potentially increase yields of this newly rediscovered crop.

Technical Abstract: High ambient temperature and drought stress as a result of climate change are increasingly critical factors affecting agriculture and pose major constraints to grain legume production. Abiotic stress especially affects already marginal, hot and arid production zones. Tepary (Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray), a drought and heat tolerant sister species to common bean (P. vulgaris L.), is a crop with potential applications for production in abiotic stress prone regions, a practice that has long been employed by the Native Indians of the Americas. In addition to abiotic stress, common bacterial blight, caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli (Smith) Dye, and seed weevils, Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say), are widespread yield and storage constraints worldwide, respectively, and resistance is needed in grain legume crops such as tepary. TARS-Tep 22, PI ____; and TARS-Tep 32, PI _____; were developed by the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, the University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Experiment Station, and Colorado State University. The tepary bean germplasm were selected for multiple stress-tolerance including, high ambient temperature and drought stress, and resistance to bacterial blight and to seed weevils. In addition, the lines were selected for agronomic traits, including larger seed size and more erect architecture. TARS-Tep 22 represents the first published release of improved tepary as a result of hybridization and selection, and TARS-Tep 32 is a single plant selection from a landrace, PI 477033, from Arizona. The use of this improved germplasm by farmers in sub-optimal legume production zones affected by abiotic/biotic stress, or by breeding programs for improving agronomic quality and stress tolerance in tepary, can potentially increase yields of this newly rediscovered crop.