Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Juan Osorno called the meeting to order.  A sign-in sheet was passed around and participants listed above were present for the meeting. Christine Diepenbrock was elected as secretary, Juan Osorno serves as Chair and Tim Porch as Vice-chair. 

David Gang, the project administrator, described the purpose of Multi-State meetings and his role to facilitate reporting and renewal of the project. The goal of the project is to facilitate interactions among researchers at Agriculture Experiment Stations around the thematic topics described in the project. There are other diverse thematic areas as well in other Multi-State projects; e.g., community health. Building agricultural research infrastructure/enterprise across the nation; networking and building collaborations. The regional W4150 project is renewed every five years, and the project is up for renewal submission in 2024. The criteria for renewal include past, present and future impact. The renewal proposal will be due approximately this time next year (November, 2024). A suggested timeline would be to prepare an early draft version in February or March 2024 so that there is time for revisions.

Delaware was selected for the next W-4150 meeting to be hosted by Emmalea Ernst during the 2^nd or 3^rd week of August, 2024. This will be a good time to see lima beans in the field.

STATE REPORTS [In order of presentation]

WYOMING (Donna Harris, Jim Heitholt)

The semi-arid climate of Wyoming’s Bighorn Basin region produces high-yielding dry bean crops with excellent seed quality.  Therefore, harvested seed is used not only for human consumption but also for seed production where it can then be sold and distributed to seed dealers.  There are three objectives that have been identified in the region and beyond. First, irrigation is required to grow dry beans in this area, but to what extent can the irrigation amount be reduced and what dry bean varieties are best suited for deficit-irrigation management?  During the past several years, we have generated novel dry bean progeny via conventional crossing and selection.  These progeny have been tested under severe and modest deficit irrigation and two of our new experimental lines exhibited drought tolerance.  Once these new lines are advanced to being a variety, growers could achieve more profit by obtaining traditional yield levels but with using less water.  These findings are distributed through multiple avenues including University of Wyoming field days, Bean Commission meetings, and Crop Improvement sessions.

Secondly, farmers could benefit from high yielding, but shorter maturity cultivars that could be harvested in late August prior to the onset of a frost that could impact seed production.  Single plant selections made in 2022 were grown out and evaluated for yield and maturity in 2023 and we typically retain the best 10%.  Several lines in 2022 yielded as good or better than current varieties on the market in our area.  Further yield trials of these lines were conducted across three Wyoming locations in 2023, and we are in the process of analyzing this data.  Additionally, the Cooperative Dry Bean Nursery was grown at Powell with 25+ entries being evaluated.  One of our experimental lines yielded in the 91st percentile and another yielded in the 64th percentile.  These results are used by our local seed companies as they make decisions on which varieties to distribute.

Lastly, for dry bean breeders, identifying high-throughput phenotyping methods that can be used to rapidly and accurately collect data for our traits of interest (e.g. yield), can make breeding programs more efficient. We have been testing the correlation between canopy temperature and yield in dry beans for the past several years.  Prior to 2023, a hand-held device was used.  In 2023, we engaged a drone to collect this data.  Results from commercial cultivars grown in 2022 across two locations indicated that when mid-season canopy temperatures were lower, the yield was greater.  The test was grown again in three locations across WY in 2023.  If further testing continues to support this finding, the impact would be that breeders could use a drone to determine yield of their thousands of yield test plots quickly and efficiently without having to combine all of these plots.  Selection via a drone could take place in the first one to two years of yield testing to weed out the lowest yielding lines before moving to more advanced yield testing where a combine would be used, saving the breeding program, time, money, and labor.

WASHINGTON (Phil Miklas, Girish Ganjyal)

USDA-ARS in Prosser, WA, has released five new dry bean cultivars in the past few years with USDA Basin pinto, USDA Cody pinto, and USDA Lava small red the most recent releases in the past year.  USDA Rattler, released in 2021, was produced on 35,000 acres this year across Colorado, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wyoming.  USDA Cody had the highest seed yield in the Colorado State Extension trial in Kirk, CO, this year. These cultivars possess multiple disease resistance and tolerance to drought and low soil fertility which increases the range of adaptation and suitability for low input production systems. These releases benefited from multi-environment trials (CDBN – cooperative dry bean nursery, and DBDN – dry bean drought nursery) supported by the W4150 regional project. In addition, researchers in MD and MI contributed to bean rust screening and canning quality tests for these materials, respectively.  WA, ND, and OR researchers continue to collaborate on a QTL pipeline from discovery to utilization for breeding improved resistance to Sclerotinia white mold in common bean which receives funding from the National Sclerotinia Initiative.  WA continued to supply seed of select bean cultivars to researchers in MI and NY for characterization of flour properties, flavonoid profiles, and iron bioavailability.  In collaboration with ND, MD, and PR researchers, new SNP and InDel markers were developed for MAS of qualitative major genes for resistance to important bean diseases and other traits and published on the Bean Improvement Cooperative website. This comprehensive table of useful markers is being utilized by bean breeders across the U.S. and worldwide.

At Washington State U., the proximate composition, functional properties, and their impact on the popping efficiency of 20 popping bean samples from different lines, harvest seasons, and locations were evaluated. Results showed significant differences (P < 0.05) in physicochemical characteristics and functional properties among the samples, including differences in starch, protein, fiber, fat, moisture, and ash content. Water absorption index, water solubility index, and flour swelling power also significantly differed between samples. However, the study did find a correlation between pericarp color and popping percentage. Darker pericarp color is associated with greater popping efficiency. This may be due to the higher tannin content in darker pericarps, which can increase pericarp strength and promote the pressure resistance required for bean popping.

SOUTH CAROLINA (Jenna Hershberger, Sandra Branham)

Starting a new breeding program is a difficult process that involves a great deal of learning about both past and ongoing research efforts, gathering germplasm, and developing protocols. The connections formed through W-4150 have greatly benefitted Clemson’s new vegetable breeders, Drs. Sandra Branham and Jenna Hershberger, as they seek to initiate snap bean (Branham) and lima bean (Hershberger) breeding programs in South Carolina. In the past three years alone, involvement in W-4150 has led to the sharing of ideas, germplasm, and protocols and collaboration on several projects to further Phaseolus bean breeding efforts. Through W-4150 connections, Jenna Hershberger was invited to join the Outside Advisory Committee for the LIMA! USDA NIFA AFRI Specialty Crop Research Initiative project (2022-51181-38323) in late 2022. She has become more involved in the project over the past year and now collaborates with the LIMA! project team on many parts of the project, including leading phenotypic data management efforts such as ontology and database development to help lima bean breeding programs make selection decisions more efficiently. The Hershberger lab is starting a fresh market-focused lima bean breeding program focused on developing succulent beans with improved quality and heat tolerance for the Southeastern US. This summer, the team evaluated over 400 South Carolina heirloom and PI accessions of lima beans in a field trial in Florence, South Carolina. Evaluated traits include yield, disease symptoms and severity, flowering date, and plant architecture. Initial crosses are being made in the greenhouse and will be advanced and evaluated in the coming year. The Branham lab has evaluated 300 accessions from snap bean diversity panel (obtained from W-4150 collaborators) for production in SC in three different seasons and selected high-yielding lines to initiate the regional breeding program. Initial crosses will be made this year.

PUERTO RICO (Consuelo Estevez, Jim Beaver, Tim Porch)

A manuscript describing the release of black (PR1303-129) and small red bean (PR1743-44) germplasm lines that combine resistance to Mexican and common bean weevils and resistance to multiple viruses, including BCMV, BCMNV and BGYMV, has been accepted for publication in the J. of Plant Registrations. UNL-NE and ARS-PR are in the 5th cycle of shuttle breeding, now focused on introgression of drought tolerance into pinto and great northern germplasm, and pyramiding of disease resistance genes using KASP markers. The first tepary cultivar ‘USDA Fortuna’ was released by ARS-PR with drought and heat adaptation, tolerance to Bean golden yellow mosaic virus, resistance to CBB and mod. resistance to powdery mildew, good cooking time and quality, in collaboration with UPR-PR, ARS-MI, ISU-IA, Honduras, Haiti, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic. The CBDN and DBDN trials were completed under drought and non-stress and data shared from the 2022-23 winter season in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico. An online bean production manual for Puerto Rico, developed in collaboration with the UPR Agricultural Extension Service, has had > 1,000 downloads. A winter nursery was conducted by the University of Puerto Rico for project W-4150 bean research programs from Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota and the USDA-ARS. Outreach activities were conducted with growers, researchers and extension personnel to disseminate control measures and recommendations. Research conducted by UPR graduate student Yohari Torres González found white bean cultivars ‘Bella’ and ‘Beniquez’ resistant to Fusarium root rot in Puerto Rico. The Intertek KASP platform was used to identify white bean breeding lines that combine the Ur-5 and Ur-11 rust resistance genes and resistance to BCMV, BCMNV and BGYMV, while the platform was also used for marker assisted selection on over 5,000 breeding lines in collaboration with UPR-PR, UNL-NE, NDSU-ND, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador programs using leveraged USAID/USDA-PASA funding. The Asian bean flower thrip was found on beans in Puerto Rico. The Tepary Diversity Panel genetic structure and GWAS for disease and insect-related traits were published in the Plant Genome with ARS-PR, UPR-PR, UGA-GA and CSU-CO.

OREGON (Jim Myers)

Two processors remain in the Willamette Valley and are growing processing green bean now on about 9,000 acres. Much of the production of other vegetable crops has moved to the Columbian Basin in Oregon and Washington. Snap bean production would move to that region if heat tolerant cultivars could be developed. The primary research objective of the OSU snap bean breeding program has been to identify and introgress white mold resistance into elite cultivars. We completed GWAS and nested association mapping (NAM) studies in snap bean. The results have been published in one paper and a M.S. thesis. Germplasm lines from the NAM have been increased in 2023 for germplasm release. Using genomic prediction from the GWAS study, six snap bean cultivars were combined with two dry bean accessions to create an 8-way MAGIC population. The final 8-way cross was made in 2021 and the population was selfed to the F5 during the summer of 2023, resulting in 1,211 lines. These were classified into four general phenotypes: determinate snap, indeterminate snap, determinate dry and indeterminate dry. The majority have stringless pods, with varying levels of fiber and wall thickness. These will be screened in the greenhouse using the seedling straw test in 2024.

Two advanced bush blue lake green bean lines have been distributed for trial with five vegetable seed companies. These are OSU7318 which has high yields (significantly better than OSU5630, the predominant BBL cultivar grown in the Willamette Valley), excellent processing quality and field resistance (due to architectural avoidance) to white mold. The other is OSU7066, which has moderate levels of white mold resistance with good processing quality but yields that are about 90% of OSU5630. In mold-free environments, OSU 5630 will have higher yields, but where disease is present, OSU7066 would be expected to have superior yields.

We completed a characterization of the Snap Bean Association Panel (SnAP) for pod and leaf color and photosynthetic traits. This was followed by GWAS, which resulted in identifying many significant SNPs associated with various color parameters in leaves and pods. Many associations appear to be with known color genes such as B, j, y and pc, but others appear to be related genes affecting chlorophyll production. The GWA study was further extended to photosynthetic traits acquired using a Multispeq fluorometer utilizing the PhotosynQ platform. The major finding from this study is that the wax trait conditioned by y lacks chlorophyll in pods and photosystem I activity is absent, but photosystem II activity involving energy dissipation remains active.

We participated in the National Sclerotinia Initiative nurseries and screen lines submitted by private industry for this disease. The summer was hot and dry with significant precipitation beginning only in late September and while white mold was present, infection was light. With a trend towards hotter and drier summers, white mold seems to be becoming less of an issue for growers. On the other hand, higher temperatures are reducing yields and pod quality and needs to be a major objective of green bean breeding programs.

The OSU vegetable breeding program has four advanced Peruano dry bean lines nearing release]. These were developed from crosses of ‘Patron’ with ‘Higuera’ to develop Peruano types with BCMV and BCTV resistances combined with improved seed color. These will be ready for regional testing next year to identify the best line for release.

NEBRASKA (Carlos Urrea)

Two new varieties were released including great northern NE1-17-36 and slow darkening pinto NE4-17-10. Both lines have upright plant architecture, carry the Ur-3 and Ur-6 rust resistance genes and the I bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) resistance gene, show tolerance to common bacterial blight (CBB), and have high yield potential and large seed size. The 73rd Cooperative Dry Bean Nursery (CDBN) annual report was compiled and distributed in February 2023. The 2022 Dry Bean Variety Trial results were posted online (https://cropwatch.unl.edu/varietytest/othercrops) and published in extension and industry publications. The Nebraska Dry Bean Breeding Program participated in several regional and national nurseries during 2023: the CDBN, which evaluated 28 entries in trials in 6 locations in the U.S. and Canada; the Mid-west Regional Performance Nursery (MRPN), which included 6 Nebraska lines; and the National Dry Bean Drought Nursery (DBDN) which had 20 lines from MI, WA, NE, and PR that were evaluated in the same states/territories. Dr. Urrea also assembled and distributed seed for the DBDN.

About 1,200 dry bean producers in western Nebraska and eastern Colorado have access to dry bean varieties with multiple disease resistance and drought/heat tolerance, enabling them to reduce production costs and increase net income. Information was shared with the dry bean community through grower meetings on February 7 and field days on August 10, 2023. Two undergraduate students (UNL Agronomy Department and University of Concepcion, Chile) participated in the project, learning about all aspects of dry bean breeding. 

The information described in a copper-alternative chemical publication in 2019 was the result of nine years of collaborative field research for the control of bacterial diseases. It was the first published work showing the efficacy of these products on dry beans. The products are now well-known and commonly used throughout bean producing states. We have expanded the scope of the concept to evaluate the efficacy of these and newly developed products for managing fungal diseases. 

The bacterial wilt articles published in 2015 and 2020 highlighted the work of the plant pathology and dry bean breeding programs in Scottsbluff and the University of Nebraska, establishing its reputation as a world-wide authority on this disease. In recognition of its expertise, the plant pathology program was asked to participate in characterizing the isolates of C. flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens that were captured from the stratosphere during 2021 and 2022.  At least one of these bacterial strains has been identified as a new species of Curtobacterium (proposed to be called C. aetheraea). This finding could be very useful for breeders working to develop new cultivars with resistance to bacterial wilt. Additionally, the plant pathology project receives multiple requests for bacterial wilt isolates from investigators in both Europe and South America, as well as requests for graduate school training (4-5 per week).

NORTH DAKOTA (Juan M. Osorno, Phil McClean)

The 2023 growing season was very dry in the region, especially between July to September, significantly affecting seed yields. Two new cultivars were released in early 2023: ND Rodeo slow darkening pinto and ND Redbarn dark red kidney. Across North Dakota and Minnesota, ND Rodeo showed significantly higher seed yields compared to other slow darkening pintos commonly grown in the region, and comparable seed yields to regular darkening pintos. In addition, ND Rodeo offers larger seed size and upright plant architecture. Likewise, ND Redbarn showed significantly higher seed yield than other DRK cultivars commonly grown in the region, in addition to showing an improved kidney seed shape and tolerance to bacterial blights and white mold. Future releases may include a pink, a black, and a light red kidney. The Midwest Regional Performance Nursery (MRPN) is coordinated by NDSU and it had 20 entries and was grown in MI, NE, and ND. New results using the WM-MAGIC population allowed the development and validation of new genomic prediction models. Even tough prediction accuracy is low, it allows to discard ~70% of the lines that are mostly susceptible, allowing for negative selection. New Andean breeding lines with resistance to bruchids have been developed using the AO-3A source. At least 2 of them are being considered for release. Additional work continues on disease resistance for CBB, BCMV, rust, root rots, and SCN. New markers associated with some important disease resistance genes have been developed. Finally, results from the work on understanding the genetics behind seed coat color genes have been published in 2 papers and a third one is currently under review.

MICHIGAN (Evan Wright, Karen Cichy)

In 2023, dry bean research was conducted by Michigan State University and the USDA-ARS at East Lansing, MI. The MSU dry bean breeding and genetics program conducted 24 yield trials in ten market classes and participated in the growing and evaluation of the Cooperative Dry Bean, Midwest Regional Performance, National Drought, and the National Sclerotinia (White Mold) Nurseries in Michigan and winter nursery in Puerto Rico. The nurseries were planted (June 6-14) and received an average of ~14.0” of rain (June - mid Sept). The season was characterized by abnormally dry planting conditions followed by abundant rainfall which significantly delayed maturity and harvest until early October. The MSU program evaluated ~1,800 early generation breeding lines as part of the W-4150 collaborative winter nursery. Other research by MSU looked at halo blight resistance in kidney beans, development of improved black beans possessing Co-5 for more durable anthracnose resistance, and the deployment of UAS phenotyping platforms to estimate maturity and plant height, as well as assessment of white mold disease severity via multispectral imaging.

USDA-ARS, East Lansing in collaboration with MSU made progress in the development of improved black bean germplasm with superior end use quality. Advanced breeding lines have been developed with excellent canning quality and canned bean color retention. Genomic prediction models have been developed for seed yield, canning quality, and color retention. Prediction accuracies were very high for color retention indicating that genomic selection has a good probability of success for this trait.

The MSU dry bean breeding program has released ‘AuSable’ as a midseason maturity navy with efficient dry down, resistance to race 73 of anthracnose, and good canning quality. ‘Black Pearl’ was released as a high yielding black bean with exceptional color retention after canning and resistance to anthracnose race 73.

DELAWARE (Emmalea Ernest)

One ninety-three baby lima inbreds from the University of Delaware lima breeding program were evaluated in yield trials. Heat tolerant breeding lines continue to have the most stable yield across multiple seasons. Twenty-seven large-seeded bush “Fordhook” type inbreds from the breeding program were also evaluated. Yields in the Fordhook trial were generally high. Several breeding lines matured earlier than the standard variety and have desirable green seed color. Root knot nematode (RKN) is a key pest of lima bean on the Delmarva Peninsula with few effective management options. In trials conducted in the past two years we have identified new sources of RKN resistance from a diversity panel and tested elite breeding lines from the UD breeding program for RKN resistance. In 2023, fifty of the baby lima breeding lines were tested for root-knot nematode resistance in an inoculated yield trial. Eleven experimental varieties with low nematode galling and reproduction were identified. One of the RKN resistant UD varieties was also tested with collaborators in Washington, California, Wisconsin and Virginia to evaluate potential for commercialization.

The UD lima breeding program is a part of the SCRI project titled “Development of Genomic Resources To Improve The Lima Bean Breeding For Consumer Quality And Agronomic Traits” which is led by W4150 collaborators at UC Davis. Activities that were a part of that project in 2023 included developing populations to study key traits of interest and testing advanced breeding material with small scale growers in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Heat-stress related yield and quality reduction is an annual problem for processing and fresh market snap bean growers on Delmarva. Two snap bean trials to evaluate heat tolerance were conducted in Delaware in 2023. Additional heat tolerant snap bean varieties were identified. Growers are currently using one heat tolerant variety identified in previous trials.

CALIFORNIA (Christine Diepenbrock)

In two projects, we are evaluating, dissecting the genetic and environmental basis of, and predicting productivity and nutritional quality in multiple Phaseolus species and diverse environment types (including contrasting temperature regimes); and we are leading a large nationwide lima collaboration funded by the USDA NIFA SCRI to improve lima bean for producers, processors, and consumers—both productivity and quality.

Two postdocs, two Ph.D. and two undergraduate students, and one Jr. Specialist being trained on Phaseolus beans. We presented in four field days: two in Davis (one with CA growers and processors, one with the USDA NIFA OREI Student Collaborative Organic Plant Breeding Education project), Kearney (where grain legumes were added to the alfalfa/forages field day), and Tulelake (on the Oregon border; co-located with Brigid Meints at Oregon State Univ.). We evaluated (in 2022 and 2023) a common bean/tepary bean interspecific population in Davis and Parlier, CA; the latter incurs high-temperature stress in the reproductive stage. This population was developed by Santos Barrera Lemus and previously tested by Santos, Carlos Urrea (NE), and team. Also included in these growouts were 12 tepary lines provided by Tim Porch (PR). Traits being scored include agronomics and nutritional quality, cooking time by Karen Cichy (MI) and team, and weekly sensing via drone and ground-based rover. Phil Miklas (WA) is also a partner. A small-plot research combine is incoming, which will increase throughput in our harvest and sample processing.

We evaluated the Cooperative Dry Bean Nursery, in which P. Miklas evaluated lodging and maturity while visiting Davis. We plan to send sensing and (if of interest) nutritional quality data to the breeders who contributed material.

For a USDA Pulse Crop Health Initiative project, we planted five trials: Davis (2022, 2023), San Gregorio (2022), Santa Cruz (2023), and Tulelake (2023). This project is evaluating nutritional quality of beans with contrasting seed coat patterns in dynamic gastrointestinal digestion models (which mimic the wave-like contractions of the stomach wall).

The UC Davis lima breeding program is developing large- and baby-seeded limas (bush and vine types) with a focus on yield, regional adaptation, and seed quality, with monitoring of lygus resistance. Advanced breeding lines and earlier-stage material are being evaluated annually (inc. Davis 2022 and 2023) in comparison with relevant checks.

Paul Gepts is leading a lima bean SCRI project which has just finished its first year. The three major bottlenecks being addressed are 1) consumer information, 2) pre-breeding, and 3) germplasm information/utilization. Partner institutions alongside UC Davis are Univ. Delaware, USDA NPGS, Iowa State Univ., UC Riverside, the National Center for Genome Resources, Clemson Univ., and Tennessee State Univ.

States not present, but reports submitted

ARIZONA (Judy Brown)

The focus of research is two-fold. The first objective is to characterize BCMV isolates infecting tepary bean Plant Introduction (PI) accessions in the Legume Germplasm Collection. From fourteen PI accessions and seven are Arizona land races, three were collected in El Salvador, and one each in Mexico, Nicaragua, and two from Puerto Rico. Presence of BCMV in lots of 4-6 leaf stage plants (4-13 plants per PI accession) was determined, initially based on serological detection (immunostrip, general potyvirus). To confirm BCMV infection, the potyvirus-positive plants were subjected to RT-PCR amplification using BCMV coat protein-specific primers designed in the Brown Lab, followed by cloning and confirmatory sequencing. Seed transmission ranged from 10-92%. The complete genome sequence was determined from BCMV-positive plants by Illumina RNAseq  and de novo assembled (n=9). Phylogenetic analysis showed that seven tepary bean-associated BCMV isolates clustered as a monophyletic group (IIb), and their closest relatives were a monophyletic sister group of BCMV isolates previously characterized from common bean, potentially implicating vertical transmission through seed as the primary mode of transmission. Two tepary bean BCMV isolates (El Salvador, Mexico) clustered with another clade (IV) that contained BCMV isolates previously characterized from common bean or cowpea, potentially implicating aphid transmission from other legume hosts to tepary bean (horizontal transmission), followed by seed (vertical) transmission. Despite the overall high shared nucleotide identity among the tepary bean-BCMV and other BCMV isolates (90.2% - 99.9%), several interesting differences were identified at the protein motif and/or amino acid sequence (combined ORF similarity, 92-100%) levels.

The deliverable (impact) of the first objective is completion of aim 1, or selection of two unique co-evolved tepary bean-seedborne BCMV isolates to facilitate advancement of the second aim. The second aim involves BCMV inoculation of tepary bean accessions previously characterized with respect to genome/transcriptome, phylogenetic relationships, and thermal tolerance) (Moghaddam et al., 2021; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22858-x), also available in the USDA-ARS Phaseolus Germplasm Collection (National Plant Germplasm SystemGRIN-Global Website). For this objective, differential gene expression profiles associated with BCMV infection of tepary bean will be analyzed to characterize tepary bean plant host defense responses to BCMV infection, including evidence of gene silencing, based on small and large RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analyses.

Tepary bean is highly-tolerant to infection by most seedborne-BCMV isolates studied so far. The hypothesis is that because tepary bean tolerance to BCMV is the outcome of host-pathogen co-evolution over the long-term, resulting in infections that may or may not result in symptom development, and have only a minimal effect on plant growth, development, and yield. Potentially, vertical spread of BCMV through seed has reinforced the interactions and plants are vigorous and produce acceptable yields despite systemic infection. Consequently, identifying tepary bean gene/transcriptome responses to virus infection will lead to untapped genes and/or mechanisms of tolerance to abiotic-biotic resistance that can be transferred or replicated in common bean either through breeding and/or gene editing approaches. Cooperators and collaborators have contributed valuable conceptual knowledge to discussions leading to the development of this project are Dr. Juan Osorno, North Dakota State University, Dr. Tim Porch, USDA, ARS, Mayaguez, and Dr. Carlos Urrea, University of Nebraska. The genetic materials have been provided from the USDA-ARS Phaseolus Germplasm Collection, through Curator Ms. S. Dohle, USDA-ARS, Pullman Washington.

IOWA (Donna Winham)

Iowa State University (ISU) researchers in collaboration with Karen Cichy USDA-ARS at East Lansing, MI examined the short-term effects of whole mayocoba yellow beans (genotype Y1702-22, Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and pasta from their flour (90% bean, 9% cassava flour, 1% xanthan gum flour) as part of a meal on glycemic response in normoglycemic healthy young adults.  In a 4x4 randomized crossover trial, meals were tested with and without alpha-galactosidase (AGS) enzyme (trade name Beano®). AGS degrades oligosaccharides in foods prior to their fermentation in the intestinal tract and can reduce flatulence and bloating. The study purpose was to determine if the form (whole vs. pasta/flour) glycemic response was different and whether AGS altered glycemic response and other biomarkers.

To address possible concerns with increased gas production after bean consumption, meals were matched for 50 grams of available carbohydrate. The mean age of the 17 participants was 24 years with 65% female, and mean BMI of 24.7. Net glucose change was evaluated via incremental area under the curve (iAUC) at time segments of 0-60 (p=.003) and 0-120 (p=.024), and 0-180 minutes (p=.058) (Figure 1). LSD post-hoc tests indicated significant differences between pasta with AGS for the 0-60 minute interval and all 3 of the other meals (pasta control (p=<.047), beans with control (p<.001), and beans with AGS (p=.004). Pasta with AGS elicited a higher glucose response than pasta control (p=<.050), beans with control (.005), and beans with AGS (p=.015) for the 0-120 interval. For 0-180 minutes, pasta with AGS was significantly higher than beans with control (p=.011), and beans with AGS (p=.036).

Whole boiled beans typically show a low postprandial glycemic response in persons with type 2 diabetes and normoglycemia. By degrading the complex carbohydrates, the AGS may inadvertently increase post-prandial glucose excursions. It is possible that adding AGS to counter flatulence and bloating, could pose issues for the many Americans with abnormal glucose metabolism or type 2 diabetes. There is a paucity of published research on the potential for AGS to alter postprandial glycemic response, and on the glycemic response of bean pastas or pulse flours. Three MS students participated in data collection and analysis of the yellow bean AGS clinical study. Two undergraduates were trained in research methods as part of the clinical trial, and development of surveys on consumer behavior associated with pulses.  ISU continues to collaborate on a lima bean SCRI project with Paul Gepts – UC Davis. Our research has documented the acceptability of yellow bean pastas with healthy consumers.  These findings support the continued use of beans as flours and ingredients for the health and well-being of people. 

NEW YORK (Phillip Griffiths)

In 2023, focus was placed on the development of dry beans with improved seed-coat color and cooking/canning (black beans) and advancement of alternate seed coat colors in the kidney bean category. This included the development of new black bean breeding lines with high seed-coat color retention after cooking/canning, from which line BB226 was increased for wider testing based on yield and canning quality in NYS. Based on increased consumer demand for more color and variability within products introgressions of novel colors have also been targeted.  These include new black kidney and purple kidney lines. Based on initial canning studies the black kidney beans have had excellent color retention when compared to black bean controls, and good canning quality based on can-pour and splitting.  The purple kidney bean cans to a similar color as a high quality dark red kidney bean but has a much richer colored brine making for a high-quality pour/product. A new mini-kidney bean (NYD4) has also been developed for new markets in the alternate packaged food space. Due to the small seed size of this line, and the upright architecture, it could lead to a variety where pod shattering is a lower concern enabling harvest using similar equipment for upright black beans. It also reduces seed production costs, and low split through canning, and have higher relative nutrition based of increased seedcoat surface area. This line has been set up in a cross block with parents with different seedcoat colors to develop a range of mini-kidney lines.

Breeding line trials were planted in Freeville NY in 2023 and harvested to determine yield, seed-weight and quality. Populations developed for these trials were all increased in greenhouses in Geneva, NY together with populations advancing the color retention into black bean and black kidney types.

• USDA-ARS in Prosser, WA, has released USDA Basin pinto, USDA Cody pinto, and USDA Lava small red.
• USDA Rattler, released in 2021, was produced on 35,000 acres this year across Colorado, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wyoming.
• 400 South Carolina heirloom and PI accessions of lima beans and 300 accessions of snap beans were evaluated for production in South Carolina by Clemson U.
• Black, PR1303-129, and small red, PR1743-44, germplasm lines that combine resistance to Mexican and common bean weevils and resistance to multiple viruses, including Bean common mosaic, Bean common mosaic necrosis and Bean golden yellow mosaic, were released by the U. of PR.
• The first tepary cultivar ‘USDA Fortuna’ was released by ARS-PR with tolerance to Bean golden yellow mosaic virus, resistance to common bacterial blight, and good cooking time and quality, in collaboration with UPR-PR, ARS-MI, ISU-IA.
• Two Oregon State advanced bush blue lake green bean lines have been distributed for trial with five vegetable seed companies, OSU7318 and OSU7066, with field resistance and moderate resistance, respectively, to the white mold disease.
• Two new varieties were released, including great northern NE1-17-36 and slow darkening pinto NE4-17-10, by the U. of Nebraska.
• Two new cultivars were released in early 2023 by North Dakota State U., ND Rodeo a slow darkening pinto, and ND Redbarn, a dark red kidney.
• Based on the 2022 annual dry bean grower’s survey in the Northarvest region (ND+MN), NDSU dry bean varieties represented ~60%, ~40%, and ~15% of the area grown with black, great northern, and pinto beans, respectively.
• Michigan State U. released ‘AuSable’ as a midseason maturity navy with efficient dry down, resistance to race 73 of anthracnose, and good canning quality.
• Michigan State U. released ‘Black Pearl’ as a high yielding black bean with exceptional color retention after canning and resistance to anthracnose race 73.
• University of Arizona cloned, sequenced, and characterized full-length BCMV genomes from infected-tepary bean accessions (seed-born isolates) and determined phylogenetic relationships with BCMV isolates from other legumes and crop species.

Refereed-Publications

Amongi, W., Nkalubo, S., Ochwo-Ssemakula, M., Arfang, B., Dramadri Onziga, I., Odongo Lapaka, T., Nuwamanya, E., Tukamuhabwe, P., Izquierdo, P., Cichy, K., Kelly, J., Mukankusi, C. (2023) Phenotype based clustering, and diversity of common bean genotypes in seed iron concentration and cooking time. (Submitted to PLOS ONE) https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0284976

Arkwazee HA, Wallace LT, Hart JP, Griffiths PD, Myers JR. (2022) Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) of White Mold Resistance in Snap Bean. Genes. 13(12):2297. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes13122297

Awale, A.E., Wiersma, A.T., Wright, E.M., Buell, C.R., Kelly, J.D., Cichy, K.A., Haus, M.J. (2023) Anthracnose and bean common mosaic necrosis virus resistance in wild and landrace Phaseolus vulgaris (L.) genetic stocks. Crop Science (submitted).

Bornowski, N., Hart, J.P., Vargas Palacios, A., Ogg, B., Brick, M.A., Hamilton, J.P., Beaver, J.S., Buell, C.R. and Porch, T.G. (2023) Genetic variation in a tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray) diversity panel reveals loci associated with biotic stress resistance. The Plant Genome, e20363. https://doi.org/10.1002/tpg2.20363.

Cabrera-Asencio, I. and Consuelo Estevez de Jensen, C. (2023) First Report of the exotic species Megalurothrips usitatus (Thysanoptera; Tripidae) pest of Fabaceae in Puerto Rico. Florida Entomologist, Accepted.

Celebioglu, B., J.P. Hart, T. Porch P. Griffiths and J.R. Myers (2023) Phenotypic Variability for Leaf and Pod Color within the Snap Bean Association Panel. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. (in press).

Didinger, C., Cichy, K., Urrea, C. A., Scanlan, M., & Thompson, H. (2023) The effects of elevation and soaking conditions on dry bean cooking time. Legume Science. https://doi.org/10.1002/leg3.207

Fu, M., Z. Qu, N. Pierre-Pierre, D. Jiang, F. L. Souza, P. N. Miklas, L. D. Porter, G. J. Vandemark, and W. Chen (2023) Exploring the mycovirus SsHADV-1 as a biocontrol agent of Sclerotinia white mold. Plant Disease https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-07-23-1458-RE

Gomez, F.E., Kelly, J.D., Wright, E.M., Awale, H.E., Bales, S (2023) Registration of ‘Denali’ kidney bean. JPR (submitted).

Gomez, F.E., Kelly, J.D., Wright, E.M., Awale, H.E., Bales, S. (2023) Registration of ‘Coral’ pink bean. JPR (submitted).

Hooper, S.D., Bassett, A., Wiesinger, J.A., Glahn, R.P. and Cichy, K.A. (2023) Extrusion and drying temperatures enhance sensory profile and iron bioavailability of dry bean pasta. Food Chemistry Advances, p.100422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.focha.2023.100422

Izquierdo, P., Kelly, J.D., Beebe, S.E., Cichy, K. (2023) Combination of meta-analysis of QTL and GWAS to uncover the genetic architecture of seed yield and seed yield components in common bean. The Plant Genome https://doi.org/10.1002/tpg2.20328

Jeffery, H.R., Mudukuti, N., Buell, C.R., Childs, K.L. and Cichy, K. (2023) Gene expression profiling of soaked dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) reveals cell wall modification plays a role in cooking time. The Plant Genome, p.e20364. https://doi.org/10.1002/tpg2.20364

Kamfwa, K., N. Otiento, A. Soler-Garzón, P. N. Miklas, T. Parker, A. Chattopadhyay, P. Cheelo, K. Kuwabo, and S. M. Hamabwe. 2023. Identification of quantitative trait loci for drought tolerance in Bukoba/ Kijivu Andean mapping population of common bean. Theor. Appl. Genet. 136:222. doi.org/10.1007/s00122-023-04463-2

Kapayou, D.G., Herrighty, E.M., Hill, C.G. et al. Reuniting the Three Sisters: collaborative science with Native growers to improve soil and community health. Agric Hum Values 40, 65–82 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-022-10336-z

Kuwabo, K., Hamabwe, S. M., Kachapulula, P., Cichy, K., Parker, T., Mukuma, C., & Kamfwa, K. (2023) Genome-wide association analysis of anthracnose resistance in the Yellow Bean Collection of Common Bean. PLOS ONE, 18(11), e0293291. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293291

Lin, J., Arief, V., Jahufer, Z., Osorno, J., McClean, P., Jarquin, D., & Hoyos-Villegas, V. (2023) Simulations of rate of genetic gain in dry bean breeding programs. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 136(1), 14.

McClean, P. E., Roy, J., Colbert, C. M., Osborne, C. O., Lee, R., Miklas, P., & Osorno, J. (2023). T and Z, Partial Seed Coat Patterning Genes in Common Bean, Provide Insight into the Structure and Protein Interactions of a Plant MBW Complex. bioRxiv, 2023-09.

Myers, J. and A. Agir. 2022. Bean-Garden. In: Mou, B. (ed.) Vegetable cultivar descriptions for North America List 28. HortScience 57:958-964. (https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI.57.8.949)

Oladzad, A., J. Roy, S. Mamidi, P. N. Miklas, R. Lee, J. Clevenger, Z. Myers, and P. McClean. 2023. Linked candidate genes of different functions for white mold resistance in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L) are identified by multiple QTL mapping approaches. Front. Plant Sci. 14:1233285. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1233285

Ortiz V., Chang H-X., Sang H., Jacobs J., Malvick D.K., Baird R., Mathew F.M., Estévez de Jensen C., Wise K.A., Mosquera G.M. and Chilvers M.I. 2023. Population genomic analysis reveals geographic structure and climatic diversification for Macrophomina phaseolina isolated from soybean and dry bean across the United States, Puerto Rico, and Colombia. Front. Genet. 14:1103969. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1103969.

Osorno, J. M., Simons, K. J., Erfatpour, M., Vander Wal, A. J., Posch, J., & Grafton, K. F. (2023). Seed yield improvement in navy bean: Registration of ‘ND Polar’. Journal of Plant Registrations.

Park, H.E., L. Nebert, R. King, P. Busby and J. Myers. 2023. Influence of organic plant breeding on the rhizosphere microbiome of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Frontiers in Plant Science. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1251919. (in press).

Parker, T.A. Parker, J.A. Gallegos, J. Beaver, M. Brick, J.K. Brown, K. Cichy, D.G. Debouck, A. Delgado-Salinas, S. Dohle, E. Ernest, C. Estevez de Jensen, F. Gomez, B. Hellier, A.V. Karasev, J.D. Kelly, P. McClean, P. Miklas, J.R. Myers, J.M. Osorno, J.S. Pasche, M.A. Pastor-Corrales, T. Porch, J.R. Steadman, C. Urrea, L. Wallace, C.H. Diepenbrock, and P. Gepts. 2023. Genetic resources and breeding priorities in Phaseolus beans: vulnerability, resilience, and future challenges. Plant Breeding Reviews. Vol 6: 289-420. I. Goldman (Ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://doi.org:10.1002/9781119874157

Porch, T. G., Rosas, J. C., Cichy, K., Lutz, G. G., Rodriguez, I., Colbert, R. W., Demosthene, G., Hernández, J. C., Winham, D. M., & Beaver, J. S. (2023). Release of tepary bean cultivar ‘USDA Fortuna’ with improved disease and insect resistance, seed size, and culinary quality. Journal of Plant Registrations, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1002/plr2.20322.

Reyero-Saavedra, R., Fuentes, S.I., Leija, A., Jiménez-Nopala, G., Peláez, P., Ramírez, M., Girard, L., Porch, T.G., and Hernández, G. (2023) Identification and characterization of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) non-nodulating mutants altered in Rhizobial infection. Plants 12(6):1310. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12061310.

Rezaey M, Heitholt J, Miles C, and Ganjyal GM. 2023. Physicochemical Characteristics and Popping Efficiencies of Nuña Beans from Different Breeding Lines. Cereal Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1002/cche.10733.

Rosas, J.C., Rodriguez, I.Y., Beaver, J.S., and Porch, T.G. (2023) Comportamiento agronómico de germoplasma de frijol común en condiciones de altas temperaturas en el Sur de Honduras. Ceiba 56(1):31-49.

Roy, J., A. Soler-Garzón, P. N. Miklas, J. Clevenger, R. Lee, and P. E. McClean. (2023) Integrating de novo QTL-seq and linkage mapping to identify quantitative trait loci conditioning physiological resistance and avoidance to white mold disease in dry bean. The Plant Genome, e20380. doi.org/10.1002/tpg2.20380                                          

Soler-Garzón, A., A. Thornton, J. Hart, K. D. Swisher-Grimm, Q. Song, C. A. Strausbaugh, and P. N. Miklas (2023) A robust SNP-haplotype assay for Bct gene region conferring resistance to beet curly top virus in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Front. Plant Sci. 14:1215950. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1215950

Subramani, M., C.A. Urrea, R. Habib, K. Bhide, J. Thimmapuram, and V. Kalavacharla (2023) Comparative transcriptome analysis of tolerant and sensitive genotypes of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L) in response to terminal drought stress. Plants 2023, 12(1), 210. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12010210

Uebersax, M. A., Cichy, K. A., Gomez, F. E., Porch, T. G., Heitholt, J., Osorno, J. M., ... & Bales, S. (2023) Dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) as a vital component of sustainable agriculture and food security—A review. Legume Science, 5(1), e155.

Volpato, L., Gomez, F.E., Wright, E.M., Bales, S (2023) A retrospective analysis of historical data of multi-environment trials for dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Michigan. Crop Science (accepted).

Wang, W., & Cichy, K. A. (2023) Genetic variability for susceptibility to seed coat mechanical damage and relationship to end‐use quality in kidney beans. Crop Science. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.21122

Winham, D., Doina, A., & Glick, A. (2023) Anti-Flatulence Supplements Raise Blood Glucose After Bean-Based Meals. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 123(10), A29.

Witt, T.W., B.K. Northup, T.G. Porch, S. Barrera, and C.A. Urrea (2023) Effect of cutting management on the forage production and quality of tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray). Sci Rep 13, 12875. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-39550-3

Zaleski-Cox, M., P. N. Miklas, A. Soler-Garzón, and V. Hoyos-Villegas (2023) Automating high-throughput screening for anthracnose resistance in common bean using allele specific PCR. BMC Plant Methods 19:102. doi:10.1186/s13007-023-01071-5

Non-Refereed Publications

Arkwazee, H.A., T.A. Parker, P. Gepts, and J.R. Myers (2022) Pod strings map to region flanking pvind on Pv02 in common bean. Annu. Rept. Bean Improv. Coop. 65:91-92.

Cabrera-Asencio, I. and Consuelo Estevez de Jensen, C. (2023) Asian bean thrips of Fabaceae in Isabela, Puerto Rico. Ann. Rep. of the Bean Improv. Coop. 66:43.

Guzman, C. (2023) UNL and USDA collaborators breeding a climate-smart bean. The Bean Bag 41(4): 12-13.

Guzman, C. (2023) Bean breeders scout fields for desirable bean traits. The Bean Bag 41(4): 16-17.

Harveson, R.M., and C. Urrea (2023) Fuscous blight, a new bacterial disease in dry beans in Nebraska. The Bean Bag 41(1): 20-21.

Harveson, R.M., and C. Urrea (2023) The astonishing story of Selection #27. The Bean Bag 41(2): 19-20.

Higgins, R., E. Wright, H. Awale, V. Hoyos-Villegas, P. Miklas, J. Myers, J. Osorno, C. Urrea, M. Wunsch, S. Everhart, and F.E. Gomez (2022) New sources of white mold resistance derived from wide crosses in common bean and evaluated in the greenhouse and field using multi-site screening nurseries. Annu. Rept. Bean Improv. Coop. 65:77-78.

Mazala, M., McClean, P., Lee, R., Erfatpour, M., Kamfwa, K., Chinji, M., Hamabwe, S., Kuwabo, K., Urrea, C.A. Beaver, J.S. and J.M. Osorno (2023) Agronomic and cooking characteristics of common bean genotypes with bruchid resistance and molecular marker validation. Ann. Rep. of the Bean Improv. Coop. 66:44-46.

Park, H.E., R.M. King, and J.R. Myers (2022) A case for breeding organic snap beans in an organic selection environment. Annu. Rept. Bean Improv. Coop. 65:31-32.

Sadohara, R., Cichy, K., Fourie, D., Nchimbi Msolla, S., Song, Q.,  Miklas, P. and Porch, T. (2023) Phaseolus improvement cooperative (PIC) populations developed via intercrossing of stress-tolerant germplasm and their performance under drought conditions. Annual Report of the Bean Improvement Cooperative 66:33-34.

Urrea, C.A. (2023) UNL dry bean varieties. The Bean Bag 41(1): 7.

Urrea, C.A., and C. Kaarstad (2023) 2022 Nebraska dry bean variety trials. Nebraska Extension EC3064. 11 p.

Urrea, C.A., and C. Kaarstad (2023) 2022 Nebraska dry bean variety trials. The Bean Bag 41(1): 11-19.

Urrea, C.A. (2023) Zambia visit. The Bean Bag 41(1): 22-23.

Urrea, C.A. (2023) Release of the slow-darkening pinto line NE4-17-10. The Bean Bag 41(3): 14-15.

Urrea, C.A. (2023) Contest to name the new bean releases. The Bean Bag 41(4): 5.

Volpato, L., Wright, E.M., Gomez, F.E. (2023) Digital phenotyping in plant breeding: Evaluation relative maturity, stand count, and plant height in dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) via RGB drone-based imagery and deep learning approaches. Research Square (pre-print). https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3160633/v1

Theses

Çelebioğlu, Burcu (2023) Color and Photosynthetic Variability of Leaves and Pods, and Genome Wide Association Studies Using the Snap Bean Association Panel (SnAP). Ph.D., Oregon State University.

Ağır, Ahmet (2023) Development of a multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross (MAGIC) population and analysis of a nested association mapping (NAM) population for improvement of genetic resistance to white mold in snap bean. M.S. Oregon State University.

Park, Hayley (2023) Breeding Snap Beans for organic agriculture: Quantification and application of key traits. M.S. Oregon State University.

Torres González, Y.E. (2023) Análisis fenotípico y genético de la resistencia a la pudrición de raíz en el frijol común (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) causada por Fusarium solani. M.S. Thesis. Univ. of Puerto Rico. 112 p.

Abstracts and Presentations

Branham SE. (2023) Genomics-assisted vegetable breeding to develop new varieties for South Carolina. Clemson University, AGSC 4100/6100 Newman Seminar and Lecture Series.

Branham SE. (2023) Marker-assisted vegetable breeding for production in the Southeastern US. Guest lecture, Clemson University, PES 6050 Plant Breeding.

Branham SE, Ganaparthi V, Kaur K, Stone M, Ward B, Levi A, Robinson S, Wechter WP. (2023) Genomics-enabled vegetable breeding for production in the Southeastern US. National Association of Plant Breeders Annual Meeting.

Branham SE. (2023) Snapbean quality trials. Coastal Research and Education Center Field Day.

Branham SE. (2023) Snapbean quality trials. Vegetable Research Advisory Council Meeting.

Branham SE. (2023) Breeding snapbeans for production in the Southeastern US. Pea and Bean Growers meeting.

Branham SE. (2023) Vegetable breeding program overview. Vegetable Research Advisory Council Meeting.

Celebioglu, B., J.P. Hart, P. Griffiths, T. Porch and J.R. Myers. (2023) Genome-wide association studies of vegetative color and photosynthesis in Phaseolus vulgaris. Plant & Animal Genome Conference 13-18 Jan. 2022, San Diego, CA. (poster)

Hershberger JM. (2023) Sowing seeds for a quality-focused vegetable breeding and genetics program. Annual James Brewbaker Lecture in Plant Genetics. 2023 February 17; University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI

Hershberger JM. (2022) Envisioning a quality-focused vegetable breeding program for South Carolina. Lecture given in Clemson University course AGSC 6100. 2022 November 11; Virtual

Hershberger JM. (2023) Butter bean breeding at the PDREC, Oral presentation at the Clemson Extension Butter bean and Pea Production Meeting.

Hershberger JM. (2023) Butter bean breeding at the PDREC, Oral presentation at the Clemson Extension Pee Dee Vegetable Production Meeting.