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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Mayaguez, Puerto Rico » Tropical Crops and Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #322384
Title: Nutritional composition and cooking characteristics of tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius Gray) in comparison with common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Author
item Porch, Timothy - Tim
item Cichy, Karen
item WANG, WEIJIA - Non ARS Employee
item BRICK, MARK - Colorado State University
item BEAVER, JAMES - University Of Puerto Rico
item SANTANA, DAMARIS - University Of Puerto Rico
item Grusak, Michael

Submitted to: Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/7/2016
Publication Date: 6/9/2016
Citation: Porch, T.G., Cichy, K.A., Wang, W., Brick, M., Beaver, J.S., Santana, D., Grusak, M.A. 2017. Nutritional composition and cooking characteristics of tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius Gray) in comparison with common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-016-0413-0.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-016-0413-0

Interpretive Summary: Tepary bean is a highly abiotic stress tolerant orphan crop, however, there has been limited research on its nutritional value and cooking characteristics, key aspects when considering the potential for broader adoption globally. The goal of this study was to evaluate a large set of seed composition and cooking traits related to human nutrition in both landraces and breeding lines of domesticated tepary bean from replicated field trials and to compare them with common bean. Tepary bean showed reduced fat and ash concentration and higher sucrose concentration as compared to common bean. Of the twelve amino acids evaluated, only proline in one of the two trials was statistically different between the two species. There were statistically significant differences in elemental composition between the two species, however the elemental concentrations fell within the range of those found for common bean in previous studies. A number of tepary bean lines showed consistently short cooking times and high water uptake, however, under the moderate drought stress conditions of 2014, some tepary lines showed increased cooking time and a hardshell trait when compared to common bean. Tepary bean, as with other pulses, is a highly nutritious crop with similar composition and cooking characteristics as common bean. The variability for seed composition and cooking characteristics in tepary bean can be used for improvement of this orphan crop.

Technical Abstract: Tepary bean is a highly abiotic stress tolerant orphan crop, however, there has been limited research on its nutritional value and cooking characteristics, key aspects when considering the potential for broader adoption globally. The goal of this study was to evaluate a large set of seed composition and cooking traits related to human nutrition in both landraces and breeding lines of domesticated tepary bean from replicated field trials and to compare them with common bean. Tepary bean showed reduced fat and ash concentration and higher sucrose concentration as compared to common bean. Of the twelve amino acids evaluated, only proline in one of the two trials was statistically different between the two species. There were statistically significant differences in elemental composition between the two species, however the elemental concentrations fell within the range of those found for common bean in previous studies. A number of tepary bean lines showed consistently short cooking times and high water uptake, however, under the moderate drought stress conditions of 2014, some tepary lines showed increased cooking time and a hardshell trait when compared to common bean. Tepary bean, as with other pulses, is a highly nutritious crop with similar composition and cooking characteristics as common bean. The variability for seed composition and cooking characteristics in tepary bean can be used for improvement of this orphan crop.