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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Mayaguez, Puerto Rico » Tropical Crops and Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #291020

Title: Use of wild relatives and closely-related species to adapt common bean to climate change

Author
item Porch, Timothy - Tim
item BEAVER, JAMES - University Of Puerto Rico
item DEBOUCK, DANIEL - International Center For Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
item JACKSON, SCOTT - University Of Georgia
item KELLY, JAMES - Michigan State University
item DEMPEWOLF, HANNES - Global Crop Diversity Trust

Submitted to: Agronomy
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/2/2013
Publication Date: 5/10/2013
Citation: Porch Clay, T.G., Beaver, J.S., Debouck, D.G., Jackson, S., Kelly, J.D., Dempewolf, H. 2013. Use of wild relatives and closely-related species to adapt common bean to climate change. Agronomy. 3:433-461.

Interpretive Summary: Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important legume crop worldwide. However, abiotic and biotic stress limits bean yields less than 600 kg/ha in low-income countries. Current low yields result in food insecurity, while demands for increased yields to match the rate of population growth combined with the threat of climate change are significant. Novel and significant advances in genetic improvement using untapped genetic diversity available in crop wild relatives and closely-related species must be further explored. A meeting was organized by the Global Crop Diversity Trust to consider strategies for common bean improvement. This review resulted from that meeting and considers our current understanding of the genetic resources available for common bean improvement and the progress that has been achieved thus far through introgression of genetic diversity from wild relatives of common bean, and from closely related species. Newly developed genomic tools and their potential applications are presented. A broad outline of research for use of these genetic resources for common bean improvement in a ten-year multi-disciplinary effort is presented. Through this effort, common bean production and quality can be improved through the introduction of unique novel traits from wild common beans and sister species.

Technical Abstract: Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important legume crop worldwide. However, abiotic and biotic stress limits bean yields less than 600 kg/ha in low-income countries. Current low yields result in food insecurity, while demands for increased yields to match the rate of population growth combined with the threat of climate change are significant. Novel and significant advances in genetic improvement using untapped genetic diversity available in crop wild relatives and closely-related species must be further explored. A meeting was organized by the Global Crop Diversity Trust to consider strategies for common bean improvement. This review resulted from that meeting and considers our current understanding of the genetic resources available for common bean improvement and the progress that has been achieved thus far through introgression of genetic diversity from wild relatives of common bean, and from closely related species, including: P. acutifolius, P. coccineus, P. costaricensis, and P. dumosus. Newly developed genomic tools and their potential applications are presented. A broad outline of research for use of these genetic resources for common bean improvement in a ten-year multi-disciplinary effort is presented.