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Abstract The objective of this work was to estimate genetic parameters and to select lines of carioca commercial bean group with high yield, great 100-seed weight, good grain appearance, and good resistance to fusarium wilt, disease caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli that inhabits the soil. A total of 114 lines coming from two populations were evaluated together with seven control genotypes in the winter crop season in the years/generations of 2015/F5:7 and 2016/F5:8. There is a genetic variability among the carioca common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) lines for all the traits evaluated, and the estimates of the genetic parameters show a possible successful selection for reaction to fusarium wilt, yield, grain appearance, and 100-seed weight. Twenty-four lines of carioca common bean that were selected combine high resistance to fusarium wilt, yield, 100-seed weight, and good grain appearance. CNFC 19126, CNFC 19205, and CNFC 19131 show a better performance than the control genotypes with the highest level of resistance, so their evaluation in multiple environments is recommended, aiming at new resistant cultivars to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli.

This study aimed to verify the effects of leaf application of zinc (Zn) on the growth, physiology, yield, and biofortification of snap beans. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, in a completely randomized design, with five doses of zinc (0, 100, 200, 300, and 400 mg L−1). The leaf application of zinc was carried out at the vegetative stage V3 (third leaves). Biometric, physiological, and yield evaluations occurred at stages R5 (flowering) and R8 (harvest). The chlorophyll of plants with zinc is 36% higher with the application of 400 mg L−1 in R8. Foliar fertilization reduced the transpiration around 41%; and it increased the temperature and photosynthetic rate at 5.2% and 16.2%, respectively. The zinc concentration increases up resulted in an increase of 85 and 942% of zinc accumulation in the snap bean plant at the R5 stage. The 100 mg L−1 dose increased crop yield by 8.4% compared to the control treatment. Higher doses can reduce productivity by up to 17% when 400 mg L−1 of Zn is applied. Foliar application of zinc is efficient in promoting an increase in the concentration and accumulation of Zn in the leaves in the stage R5, but at the harvest stage there is no influence of fertilization on the levels and accumulations of zinc in the plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity adversely affects the plant's morphological characteristics, but the utilization of aqueous algal extracts (AE) ameliorates this negative impact. In this study, the application of AE derived from Chlorella vulgaris and Dunaliella salina strains effectively reversed the decline in biomass allocation and water relations, both in normal and salt-stressed conditions. The simultaneous application of both extracts in salt-affected soil notably enhanced key parameters, such as chlorophyll content (15%), carotene content (1%), photosynthesis (25%), stomatal conductance (7%), and transpiration rate (23%), surpassing those observed in the application of both AE in salt-affected as compared to salinity stress control. Moreover, the AE treatments effectively mitigated lipid peroxidation and electrolyte leakage induced by salinity stress. The application of AE led to an increase in GB (6%) and the total concentration of free amino acids (47%) by comparing with salt-affected control. Additionally, salinity stress resulted in an elevation of antioxidant enzyme activities, including superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, and glutathione reductase. Notably, the AE treatments significantly boosted the activity of these antioxidant enzymes under salinity conditions. Furthermore, salinity reduced mineral contents, but the application of AE effectively counteracted this decline, leading to increased mineral levels. In conclusion, the application of aqueous algal extracts, specifically those obtained from Chlorella vulgaris and Dunaliella salina strains, demonstrated significant efficacy in alleviating salinity-induced stress in Phaseolus vulgaris plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenotype of a common bean plant is often closely related to its yield, and the yield of plants with reduced height or poor stem development during growth is low. Mutants serve as an essential gene resource for common bean breeding genetic research. Although model plants and crops are studied to comprehend the molecular mechanisms and genetic basis of plant phenotypes, the molecular mechanism of phenotypic variation in common beans remains underexplored. We here used the mutant 'nts' as material for transcriptome sequencing analysis. This mutant was obtained through 60Co-γ irradiation from the common bean variety 'A18'. Differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in GO functional entries such as cell wall organization, auxin response and transcription factor activity. Metabolic pathways significantly enriched in KEGG analysis included plant hormone signal transduction pathways, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways, and fructose and mannose metabolic pathways. AUX1 (Phvul.001G241500), the gene responsible for auxin transport, may be the key gene for auxin content inhibition. In the plant hormone signal transduction pathway, AUX1 expression was downregulated and auxin transport across the membrane was blocked, resulting in stunted growth of the mutant 'nts'. The results provide important clues for revealing the molecular mechanism of 'nts' phenotype regulation in bean mutants and offer basic materials for breeding beneficial phenotypes of bean varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two-component system (TCS) generally consists of three elements, namely the histidine kinase (HK), response regulator (RR), and histidine phosphotransfer (HP) gene families. This study aimed to assess the expression of TCS genes in P. vulgaris leaf tissue under salt and drought stress and perform a genome-wide analysis of TCS gene family members using bioinformatics methods. This study identified 67 PvTCS genes, including 10 PvHP, 38 PvRR, and 19 PvHK, in the bean genome. PvHK2 had the maximum number of amino acids with 1261, whilst PvHP8 had the lowest number with 87. In addition, their theoretical isoelectric points were between 4.56 (PvHP8) and 9.15 (PvPRR10). The majority of PvTCS genes are unstable. Phylogenetic analysis of TCS genes in A. thaliana, G. max, and bean found that PvTCS genes had close phylogenetic relationships with the genes of other plants. Segmental and tandem duplicate gene pairs were detected among the TCS genes and TCS genes have been subjected to purifying selection pressure in the evolutionary process. Furthermore, the TCS gene family, which has an important role in abiotic stress and hormonal responses in plants, was characterized for the first time in beans, and its expression of TCS genes in bean leaves under salt and drought stress was established using RNAseq and qRT-PCR analyses. The findings of this study will aid future functional and genomic studies by providing essential information about the members of the TCS gene family in beans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) provide important protein and calories globally. Anthracnose (Colletotrichum lindemuthianum (Sacc. & Magnus) Briosi & Cavara, 1889) is a major disease in common bean and causes significant yield losses in bean production areas. Screening for markers linked to known disease resistance genes provides useful information for plant breeders to develop improved common bean varieties. The Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) assay is an affordable genetic screening technique that can be used to accelerate breeding programs, but manual DNA extraction and KASP assay preparation are time-consuming. Several KASP markers have been developed for genes involved in resistance to bean anthracnose, which can reduce yield by up to 100%, but their usefulness is hindered by the labor required to screen a significant number of bean lines. Our research objective was to develop publicly available protocols for DNA extraction and KASP assaying using a liquid handling robot (LHR) which would facilitate high-throughput genetic screening with less active human time required. Anthracnose resistance markers were used to compare manual and automated results. Results: The 12 bean anthracnose differential cultivars were screened for four anthracnose KASP markers linked to the resistance genes Co-1, Co-3 and Co-42 both by hand and with the use of an LHR. A protocol was written for DNA extraction and KASP assay thermocycling to implement the LHR. The LHR protocol reduced the active human screening time of 24 samples from 3h44 to 1h23. KASP calls were consistent across replicates but not always accurate for their known linked resistance genes, suggesting more specific markers still need to be developed. Using an LHR, information from KASP assays can be accumulated with little active human time. Conclusion: Results suggest that LHRs can be used to expedite time-consuming and tedious lab work such as DNA extraction or PCR plate filling. Notably, LHRs can be used to prepare KASP assays for large sample sizes, facilitating higher throughput use of genetic marker screening tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research project is dedicated to investigating innovative strategies for reducing agrochemical usage and promoting sustainable agriculture. The primary focus of this study revolves around the development and evaluation of biostimulant products derived from Trichoderma fungus. To enhance the biostimulant properties of Trichoderma, gamma irradiation was employed to induce mutations in various Trichoderma species. Subsequently, three distinct biological fertilizers were formulated using five different Trichoderma species and their respective mutants. These bio-fertilizers underwent rigorous testing to evaluate their effects on the physiological characteristics of pinto bean plants. In total, seven experimental treatments were compared to a control group. Key parameters such as soluble protein content, chlorophyll levels, carotenoid concentrations, peroxidase, and polyphenol oxidase activities were measured and analyzed. Moreover, protein profiles and enzyme subunit activities were investigated to gain deeper insights into the mechanisms underlying the observed effects. The results of this study indicate that bio-priming seeds with a combination of Trichoderma spores resulted in the most significant improvements in chlorophyll content, carotenoid levels, and peroxidase activity. Additionally, mutants of Trichoderma species exhibited greater biostimulant effects compared to their wild-type counterparts. Notably, treatments involving kaolin-based granules demonstrated higher polyphenol oxidase activity. This research emphasizes the significant impact of Trichoderma-based treatments on the physiology of pinto bean plants. The induced mutations in Trichoderma species play a crucial role in enhancing efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compost has a long-lasting action on soils to sustain crop production but very few scientific works have demonstrated these agronomic aspects. The present work aims to study the effect of different rates and mixtures of compost and a mineral fertilizer on a humic gleysol fertility, potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) yield and the residual effect on green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) production in the Cameroon Western Highlands. A first field trial was conducted on potato followed by green beans a year after (without additional fertilization). The experimental design was a split-plot with three replications. The primary factor was compost alone at 4 levels (0, 20, 30 and 40 t ha-1) and the secondary factor was mineral fertilizer application rates at two levels (0 and 350 kg ha-1). The soil samples for each experimental unit were analyzed before and after the experiments. The main results revealed that compost alone at 20 t ha-1 yielded more tubers (15 t ha-1) with probably an ideal rate for potato tubers production (largest diameter, > 40 mm). The combination of compost and the mineral fertilizer had a significant effect only on the proportion of tubers having average diameter (between 25 and 40 mm). During the first year, the compost improved the soil chemical properties notably pH-H2O, total nitrogen, organic carbon, C/N ratio, Cation exchange capacity and exchangeable Mg. Compost at 30 t ha-1 yielded an additional 5 t ha-1 of green beans in the second year, meanwhile the mineral fertilizer alone revealed no residual effect. organic fertilization improved soil fertility by neutralizing soil acidity; compost chemical fertilizer rates and their interaction significantly influenced potato yields; compost at 20 t ha-1 and 350 kg ha + 1 of mineral fertilizer gave the best potato fresh yield of 17 tons ha-1; compost at 30 t ha-1 recorded 5 t ha-1 extrayield of beans due to residual effect. small producers need to exploit the residual effect of compost to recover their costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional and technological quality of the flour from different common bean groups (carioca, black, pink, and purple), to verify its potential application as an ingredient in food products. The carioca bean flours had the greatest content of dietary fiber (15-18 g 100g-1), essential amino acids (Met and Cys), Fe content (63 mg kg-1) combined with the lowest phytate: Fe molar ratio (6.6). It also presented low water absorption (WAI), high water solubility, and intermediate values of peak viscosity (775 cP). The black beans showed the maximum amount of essential amino acids and lipids, and low content of phytates (0.4%). Black bean flour showed the greatest viscoamylographic values, WAI, foaming capacity (FC), foam stability (FS), emulsifying capacity (EC), and emulsion stability (ES). Instead, the pink and purple beans had the lowest viscoamylographic profile, EC, and ES values. The purple grains presented the highest protein amount (22 g 100g-1), and a high molar ratio between phytate to Zn and Fe (18.8 and 9.7, respectively). The pink grains presented high Try and carbohydrates contents, and a low Zn quantity. In general, despite the differences observed, the flours had advantageous nutritional and technological properties for different applications in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) on germination and seedling growth of two bean species naely Vigna unguiculata L. Walp and Phaseolus vulgaris was carried out. The germination percentage (FGP) was highest in 0ppm (80%) of V. unguiculata but highest in 100ppm (43.33%) of P. vulgaris. Germination rate index (GRI) was maximum in 0ppm (63.33%/day) followed by 100ppm (35.83%/day) while the minimum value was in 200ppm (6.67%/day) in V. unguiculata. For P. vulgaris, the maximum was 26.67%/day in 50ppm while the minimum was 12.50%/day in 0ppm. Germination first occurred 1 day after planting in 50ppm, 100ppm, 150ppm and 0ppm for V. unguiculata but 2 days after planting in 200ppm. For P. vulgaris, germination was first recorded in 50ppm, 150ppm, 200ppm and 0ppm but 2 days after planting in 100ppm. Germination was last reported 2 - 4 days after planting in both species of beans. The time spread of germination ranged between 0 - 3 days in V. unguiculata and P. vulgaris. The radial length was 16.12mm in 0ppm, 9.86mm in 50ppm and minimum 6.20mm in 200ppm for V. unguiculata while P. vulgaris 7.33mm in 100ppm, 7mm in 0ppm and least 6.11mm in 200ppm. In V. unguiculata, the low concentration of IAA enhances germination while high concentration tends to inhibit germination. In P. vulgaris, pre-soaking of the seed have no effect on the germination as less than 50% of the seeds germinated. The radicle length showed that P. vulgaris. Further studies should be done using other growth hormone on P. vulgaris to improve its germination and seedling growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GAMMA irradiation might be an alternative strategy for increasing crop yield and/or introducing new varieties. Reddish-brown Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv Abo Yousuf was exposed to 50Gy of γ-radiation produced M2 seeds, while 100 and 300Gy were lethal. M2 seeds were cultivated to investigate the segregated traits in M3 and M4 plants. Segregation of purple and green: hypocotyls, lower venation, and pods, besides purple flowers and emarginated leaf apex, were observed in M3 plants. M3 seeds showed five seed coat colors: reddish-brown, brown, dark brown, grayish brown, and gray. The reddish-brown seeds had the highest weight, 30.74%, whereas the gray seeds had a much lighter weight, 23.14%. The flower color was light purple in three lines viz; control, M2 50Gy, and M3 reddish brown and white in M3 dark brown line. While M3 brown and gray seeds produced four flower colors: dark purple, purple, light purple, and white. Whereas, M3 grayish brown seeds produced three flower colors: dark purple, purple, and white. Furthermore, γ-radiation induced 15 new seed coat colors in M4 progeny. Molecular characterization showed different fingerprints correlated with the segregated morphological traits and seed coat colors. Both the PCR fingerprints and the dendrograms produced by cluster analysis of the selected four RAPD differentiated clearly between the different M3 segregating genotypes of cv Abo Yousuf from M2 and control plants more than the two ISSR primers. Such findings indicated the pleiotropic effects of seed coat color genes and provided helpful information on gene(s) that govern these traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

White mold, caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, is a key disease of common beans in temperate and subtropical climates. For the climatic conditions of Bulgaria, the infection occurs mainly as a result of mycelogenic development of the sclerotia, which is why the disease is observed mostly in varieties with a prostrate type of the habitus. Due to the wide range of hosts of the pathogen and long-term preservation of sclerotia in the soil, agrotechnical measures have little effect in controlling the fungus. Therefore, breeding resistant varieties are the most effective measure to prevent the disease. The selection of appropriate and verified methods for testing the source and breeding materials is of primary importance for the success of breeding programs to increase resistance to the pathogen. The present study aimed to compare the response of bean accessions to S. sclerotiorum, by applying a direct and indirect evaluation method with a view to their parallel use in the breeding process. The studies were conducted under greenhouse conditions, and 29 bean accessions were included in them. The accessions were grown in pots (45x30x10 cm) with a soil-sand mixture. In the first trifoliate leaf, the stem was cut at 3 cm from the node of the primary leaves (STAW test). A single-sided closed plastic straw containing an agar disc from the periphery of 3-day-old cultures of four isolates cultivated on PDA medium (five plants per isolate), was placed on the cut. The reaction of the accessions was recorded 7 days after inoculation on a 9-point scale. The cut plant parts (stem and trifoliate leaf) were immersed in oxalic acid solution (20 mM brought to pH=4.0 with 1N NaOH), five plants per sample. The cut plant parts immersed in sterile water adjusted to pH=4.0 with 1N HCl were used for the control. The reaction of the accessions was recorded after 19h on a 9-point scale. The data were processed with the SPSS stat. ver. 19 software. Significant differences were observed in the response of the accessions concerning the isolates used. Weak positive or negative correlations were found between the oxalate test and the STRAW test, and the direction was related to the aggressiveness of the isolates. It was established that for accessions A195, ‘GTB Scythia’, ‘Izabel’, ‘Rhodopeia’ and ‘Pirina’ the results of the oxalic test are comparable to those of the STRW-test. The obtained results give us reason to recommend the application of the oxalate test in the initial generations of the breeding materials, after a preliminary comparative analysis of the parental forms by both methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The common-bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), a widely consumed legume, originated in Mesoamerica and expanded to South America, resulting in the development of two geographically distinct gene pools. Poor soil condition, including metal toxicity, are often constraints to common-bean crop production. Several P. vulgaris miRNAs, including miR1511, respond to metal toxicity. The MIR1511 gene sequence from the two P. vulgaris model sequenced genotypes revealed that, as opposed to BAT93 (Mesoamerican), the G19833 (Andean) accession displays a 58-bp deletion, comprising the mature and star miR1511 sequences. Genotyping-By-Sequencing data analysis from 87 non-admixed Phaseolus genotypes, comprising different Phaseolus species and P. vulgaris populations, revealed that all the P. vulgaris Andean genotypes and part of the Mesoamerican (MW1) genotypes analyzed displayed a truncated MIR1511 gene. The geographic origin of genotypes with a complete versus truncated MIR1511 showed a distinct distribution. The P. vulgaris ALS3 (Aluminum Sensitive Protein 3) gene, known to be important for aluminum detoxification in several plants, was experimentally validated as the miR1511 target. Roots from BAT93 plants showed decreased miR1511 and increased ALS3 transcript levels at early stages under aluminum toxicity (AlT), while G19833 plants, lacking mature miR1511, showed higher and earlier ALS3 response. Root architecture analyses evidenced higher tolerance of G19833 plants to AlT. However, G19833 plants engineered for miR1511 overexpression showed lower ALS3 transcript level and increased sensitivity to AlT. Absence of miR1511 in Andean genotypes, resulting in a diminished ALS3 transcript degradation, appears to be an evolutionary advantage to high Al levels in soils with increased drought conditions.

The common-bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), a widely consumed legume, originated in Mesoamerica and expanded to South America, resulting in the development of two geographically distinct gene pools. Poor soil condition, including metal toxicity, are often constraints to common-bean crop production. Several P. vulgaris miRNAs, including miR1511, respond to metal toxicity. The MIR1511 gene sequence from the two P. vulgaris model sequenced genotypes revealed that, as opposed to BAT93 (Mesoamerican), the G19833 (Andean) accession displays a 58-bp deletion, comprising the mature and star miR1511 sequences. Genotyping-By-Sequencing data analysis from 87 non-admixed Phaseolus genotypes, comprising different Phaseolus species and P. vulgaris populations, revealed that all the P. vulgaris Andean genotypes and part of the Mesoamerican (MW1) genotypes analyzed displayed a truncated MIR1511 gene. The geographic origin of genotypes with a complete versus truncated MIR1511 showed a distinct distribution. The P. vulgaris ALS3 (Aluminum Sensitive Protein 3) gene, known to be important for aluminum detoxification in several plants, was experimentally validated as the miR1511 target. Roots from BAT93 plants showed decreased miR1511 and increased ALS3 transcript levels at early stages under aluminum toxicity (AlT), while G19833 plants, lacking mature miR1511, showed higher and earlier ALS3 response. Root architecture analyses evidenced higher tolerance of G19833 plants to AlT. However, G19833 plants engineered for miR1511 overexpression showed lower ALS3 transcript level and increased sensitivity to AlT. Absence of miR1511 in Andean genotypes, resulting in a diminished ALS3 transcript degradation, appears to be an evolutionary advantage to high Al levels in soils with increased drought conditions.

Kuraklık stresi, pek çok kültür bitkisinde olduğu gibi taze fasulye üretimini de sınırlayan başlıca faktörlerden biridir. Son zamanlarda düşük dozda gama ışını uygulamalarının bitki gelişiminin kritik aşamalarında kuraklığın oluşturduğu olumsuz etkinin elemine edilmesinde yardımcı olduğu bazı araştırmacılar tarafından bildirilmiştir. Fakat bu konuda yapılan çalışmalar oldukça sınırlıdır. Bu çalışmada farklı gama ışın dozları (0, 25, 50 ve 100 Gy) uygulanan Gina ve Romano taze fasulye çeşitlerinde kısıtlı sulamanın etkilerinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Fideler iklim odası koşullarında 23 ± 2°C sıcaklık ve 16:8 ışık:karanlık periyodunda tam sulama [%100 (I1)] ve kısıtlı sulama [%50 (I2)] olacak şekilde iki farklı sulama seviyesinde yetiştirilmişlerdir. Çalışma sonunda gama ışını dozları ile kısıtlı sulamanın sürgün ve kök boyu, yaprak sayısı, sürgün ve kök yaş-kuru ağırlıkları, kök-sürgün oranı gibi fide gelişim parametrelerinin yanı sıra yaprak oransal su içeriği, fotosentetik pigment içeriği, lipid peroksidasyonu ve sürgün besin elementi içeriklerine etkisi araştırılmıştır. Çalışmada düşük doz gama uygulamasının kısıtlı sulama koşullarında çeşitlere göre farklı sonuçlar verdiği görülmüştür. Gama ışın dozları %50 sulamada Gina çeşidinde kök boyunda önemli bir etki yaratırken, Romano çeşidinde 50 ve 100 Gy dozlarının sürgün boyu ile yaş ve kuru ağırlıklarda önemli bir artış sağlamıştır. MDA içeriği her iki çeşitte de su stresinde 50 ve 100 Gy gama ışını ile birlikte önemli miktarda azalmıştır. Düşük doz gama ışını uygulamasının özellikle Romano çeşidinde daha etkili olduğu ve genel olarak 50 ve 100 Gy gama ışın dozlarının kısıtlı sulamada uygulanabilir dozlar olduğu belirlenmiştir.

ABSTRACT Polycultures are of great importance in conventional agriculture in the tropical zone, where they are a sustainable source of food production. In this study, the biomass distribution, crop yield and competition were determined in the maize and bean association. The total dry biomass accumulation of maize plants of the monoculture Simijaca SM(o) was higher than that of beans of monocultures cultivars Iraca IB(o) and Hunza HB(o). In monoculture, cultivar Iraca obtained the highest bean yields reaching 2744.0 kg ha-1 in the municipality of Gama, whereas cultivar Simijaca had the highest yields with a value of 7766.7 kg ha-1. In the association, the best environment was the municipality of Simijaca for the SMxIB treatment, which showed a total yield of 9767.5 kg ha-1. The total land equivalent ratio (LERt) was higher than 3.65, showing the advantage of this association. Additionally, the competitive ratio (CR) of the crops showed the high competition effect between maize and the two bean cultivars. The study generated new knowledge about the genetic resources of maize and climbing beans grown at the same time and in the same place, in the search for sustainable and resilient production.

Abstract Background A large variation in seed coat colors and seed phenolic metabolites is present in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The study of the relationships between seed coat color phenotype and the phenolic profile is an important step in the elucidation of the gene network involved in the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway. However, this relationship is still poorly understood in this species. Results A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was used to investigate the genomic regions associated with the synthesis of 10 flavonoids (5 anthocyanins and 5 flavonols) and with 10 seed coat color traits using a set of 308 common bean lines of the Spanish Diversity Panel (SDP) which have been genotyped with 11,763 SNP markers.. A total of 31 significant SNP-trait associations (QTNs) were identified, grouped in 20 chromosome regions: 6 for phenolic metabolites on chromosomes Pv01, Pv02, Pv04, Pv08, and Pv09, 13 for seed coat color on chromosomes Pv01, Pv02, Pv06, Pv07, and Pv10, and 1 including both types of traits located on chromosome Pv08. In all, 58 candidate genes underlying these regions have been proposed, 31 of them previously described in the phenylpropanoid pathway in common bean, and 27 of them newly proposed in this work based on the association study and their homology with Arabidopsis anthocyanin genes. Conclusions Chromosome Pv08 was identified as the main chromosome involved in the phenylpropanoid pathway and in consequence in the common bean seed pigmentation, with three independent chromosome regions identified, Phe/C_Pv08(2.7) (expanding from 2.71 to 4.04 Mbp), C_Pv08(5.8) (5.89–6.59 Mbp), and Phe_Pv08(62.5) (62.58 to 63.28 Mbp). Candidate genes previously proposed by other authors for the color genes V and P were validated in this GWAS. Candidate genes have been tentatively proposed from this study for color genes B and Rk on Pv02, Asp on Pv07, and complex C on Pv08. These results help to clarify the complex network of genes involved in the genetic control of phenolic compounds and seed color in common bean and provide the opportunity for future validation studies.

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN, Heterodera glycines) has become the major yield-limiting biological factor in soybean production. Common bean is also a good host of SCN, and its production is challenged by this emerging pest in many regions such as the upper Midwest USA. The use of host genetic resistance has been the most effective and environmentally friendly method to manage SCN. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the SCN resistance in the USDA common bean core collection and conduct a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers with SCN resistance. A total of 315 accessions of the USDA common bean core collection were evaluated for resistance to SCN HG Type 0 (race 6). The common bean core set was genotyped with the BARCBean6K_3 Infinium BeadChips, consisting of 4,654 SNPs. Results showed that 15 accessions were resistant to SCN with a Female Index (FI) at 4.8 to 9.4, and 62 accessions were moderately resistant (10 < FI < 30) to HG Type 0. The association study showed that 11 SNP markers, located on chromosomes Pv04, 07, 09, and 11, were strongly associated with resistance to HG Type 0. GWAS was also conducted for resistance to HG Type 2.5.7 and HG Type 1.2.3.5.6.7 based on the public dataset (N = 276), consisting of a diverse set of common bean accessions genotyped with the BARCBean6K_3 chip. Six SNPs associated with HG Type 2.5.7 resistance on Pv 01, 02, 03, and 07, and 12 SNPs with HG Type 1.2.3.5.6.7 resistance on Pv 01, 03, 06, 07, 09, 10, and 11 were detected. The accuracy of genomic prediction (GP) was 0.36 to 0.49 for resistance to the three SCN HG types, indicating that genomic selection (GS) of SCN resistance is feasible. This study provides basic information for developing SCN-resistant common bean cultivars, using the USDA core germ plasm accessions. The SNP markers can be used in molecular breeding in common beans through marker-assisted selection (MAS) and GS.

The use of plant-based preparations to replace chemical pesticides is a challenge for sustainable agriculture. Preparations from nettle (Urtica dioica L.) are good candidates, as the treatment of common bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) with aqueous suspensions of nettle reduced symptoms of halo blight disease caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola (Pph). The aim of the present work was to test if nettle infusions (Ui) have similar effects and find out what activity is behind this: antimicrobial, promotion of the natural defenses of plants, and/or antioxidant. To achieve this, Pph growth was tested in the presence of infusions of nettle leaves collected in two different years (Ui18 and Ui22), and we found that it was only weakly inhibited at high concentrations of Ui18. Interestingly, Ui22 promoted bacteria growth at all concentrations. Second, we estimated the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in response to flagellin22 (flg22) in common bean leaf discs, since recognition of this bacterial peptide usually leads to ROS accumulation in tissues as a plant immune response. However, leaf discs that were preincubated in Ui showed no accumulation of ROS after flg22 treatment, suggesting that Ui can neutralize ROS production. Finally, in a Pph inoculation experiment of common bean plants grown in vitro, we observed that pretreatment of plants with Ui drastically reduced foliar oxidative damage and disease symptoms 6 h after inoculation. This effect was more noticeable for Ui22, which was related to the higher antioxidant activity found in this extract in comparison with Ui18. These results suggest that the protective properties of Ui are mainly due to the content of antioxidant bioactive compounds.

Drought limits the growth and development of Phaseolus vulgaris L. (known as common bean). Common bean plants contain various phenylpropanoids, but it is not known whether the levels of these metabolites are altered by drought. Here, BT6 and BT44, two white bean recombinant inbred lines (RILs), were cultivated under severe drought. Their respective growth and phenylpropanoid profiles were compared to those of well-irrigated plants. Both RILs accumulated much less biomass in their vegetative parts with severe drought, which was associated with more phaseollin and phaseollinisoflavan in their roots relative to well-irrigated plants. A sustained accumulation of coumestrol was evident in BT44 roots with drought. Transient alterations in the leaf profiles of various phenolic acids occurred in drought-stressed BT6 and BT44 plants, including the respective accumulation of two separate caftaric acid isomers and coutaric acid (isomer 1) relative to well-irrigated plants. A sustained rise in fertaric acid was observed in BT44 with drought stress, whereas the greater amount relative to well-watered plants was transient in BT6. Apart from kaempferol diglucoside (isomer 2), the concentrations of most leaf flavonol glycosides were not altered with drought. Overall, fine tuning of leaf and root phenylpropanoid profiles occurs in white bean plants subjected to severe drought.

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the primary grain legume cultivated worldwide for direct human consumption due to the high nutritional value of its seeds and pods. The high protein content of common beans highlights it as the most promising source of plant-based protein for the food industry. Additionally, landraces of common bean have great variability in nutritional traits, which is necessary to increase the nutritional quality of elite varieties. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to nutritionally characterize 23 Chilean landraces and 5 commercial varieties of common bean to identify genotypes with high nutritional value that are promising for the food industry and for genetic improvement programs. The landrace Phv23 (‘Palo’) was the most outstanding with high concentrations of minerals such as P (7.53 g/kg), K (19.8 g/kg), Mg (2.43 g/kg), Zn (52.67 mg/kg), and Cu (13.67 mg/kg); essential amino acids (364.8 mg/g protein); and total proteins (30.35 g/100 g seed). Additionally, the landraces Phv9 (‘Cimarrón’), Phv17 (‘Juanita’), Phv3 (‘Araucano’), Phv8 (‘Cabrita/Señorita’), and Phv4 (‘Arroz’) had a high protein content. The landrace Phv24 (‘Peumo’) stood out for its phenolic compounds (TPC = 218.1 mg GA/100 g seed) and antioxidant activity (ORAC = 22,167.9 μmol eq trolox/100 g extract), but it has moderate to low mineral and protein concentrations. In general, the concentration of nutritional compounds in some Chilean landraces was significantly different from the commercial varieties, highlighting their high nutritional value and their potential use for the food industry and for genetic improvement purposes.

El fréjol es un cultivo importante debido a su alto valor nutritivo. En los últimos años la producción en Ecuador de este cultivo ha disminuido drásticamente debido entre otros factores a ineficientes procesos y falta de tecnificación en la producción. Entender cómo se generan y determinan los componentes del rendimiento del grano es primordial para diseñar estrategias que permitan aumentar el rendimiento del cultivo. En este estudio, se modificó la densidad de plantas con el objetivo de evaluar su impacto sobre el número de granos, peso de granos y rendimiento, bajo condiciones de campo en una región andina de Ecuador. Se realizaron dos experimentos sembrados en fechas distintas, donde se evaluaron densidades de plantas contrastantes 4 y 11 plantas m-2. El efecto de los tratamientos se estudió sobre la duración del periodo emergencia - antesis, el número de vainas llenas y vanas, el número de granos, el peso seco de 100 granos y el rendimiento de grano. Los resultados indican que la densidad de plantas tiene un efecto significativo (p

Abstract The objective of this work was to estimate the genetic parameters, evaluate the agronomic performance, and validate the microsatellite molecular markers (SSRs) linked with quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for Fe and Zn concentrations in grains of common bean, in order to select superior lines. One hundred and sixteen lines from two populations ('BRS Requinte' × 'Porto Real' and 'BRS Requinte' × G2358) and five check genotypes were evaluated in three environments. The parents and lines were genotyped with 20 SSRs. In the simultaneous selection of the lines for the four evaluated traits, the gains from selection were 4.7% for Fe concentration, 2.8% for Zn concentration, 3.9% for yield, and 0.9% for 100-seed weight. Therefore, there is the possibility of selection of lines that combine desirable phenotypes for the traits of interest. The only polymorphic marker is BM 154 in the 'BRS Requinte' × 'Porto Real' population, indicating that the QTLs linked with the markers may already be fixed or that the markers are not associated in the used populations. The single-marker analysis of QTL mapping shows an association between BM 154 and Fe concentration in only one environment, explaining 14.5% of phenotypic variation, which indicates the occurrence of the interaction of QTLs with environments.

Abstract Kidney beans (KBs) are a nutrient‐dense and inexpensive legume crop that plays a crucial role in ensuring food security and is consumed globally. They are a treasure trove of nearly 20–30% protein, called vicilin or phaseolin, and these beans are also fair sources of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and bioactive compounds. These protein compounds have significant potential as plant‐based protein sources, owing to their functional properties and nutritional benefits. The current article provides an enthralling insight into the nutritional profile, constraints on its usage, production, and other basic details of KB. It highlighted the processing technology of the kidney bean protein isolates (KBPIs), and an in‐depth discussion was done on the KBPI's structural and functional traits to explore their potential, which is helpful in the formulation of novel foods and beverages. In the present scenario, KBPI in large‐scale industrial applications is skimpy; hence, the present article provides the applications of KB proteins in foods and edible films, which could be beneficial in the futuristic world. The current article opens up new avenues for investigating the utilization of KBs and their proteins in research and development (R&D) and manufacturing. This approach encourages further exploration of KB and their proteins in R&D, manufacturing, and commercialization. Such efforts have the potential to add significant value to KBs, promote healthy lifestyles among consumers, and boost the economy. Overall, the article presents a compelling case for expanding the utilization of KB in various applications, highlighting the possibilities for innovation and Legume Science development in this area.

SUMMARY: The process of crop domestication leads to a dramatic reduction in the gene expression associated with metabolic diversity. Genes involved in specialized metabolism appear to be particularly affected. Although there is ample evidence of these effects at the genetic level, a reduction in diversity at the metabolite level has been taken for granted despite having never been adequately accessed and quantified. Here we leveraged the high coverage of ultra high performance liquid chromatography‐high‐resolution mass spectrometry based metabolomics to investigate the metabolic diversity in the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). Information theory highlights a shift towards lower metabolic diversity and specialization when comparing wild and domesticated bean accessions. Moreover, molecular networking approaches facilitated a broader metabolite annotation than achieved to date, and its integration with gene expression data uncovers a metabolic shift from specialized metabolism towards central metabolism upon domestication of this crop. Significance Statement: Using untargeted metabolomics, molecular networking, and information theory, we quantified and characterized, at the metabolite level, the reduction in metabolic diversity decurrent of common bean domestication. Our results suggest a shift of carbon flux from specialized metabolites towards central metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing policies for the sustainability of the sector by increasing legume production and consumption is a critical issue for both Turkiye and the world and is a strategic issue that needs to be emphasized. Dry beans are an important edible legume that should alternate in sustainable agriculture, as well as providing easy supply of healthy and nutritious food to the increasing world population. Present research realized to determine the main problems faced by Konya City farmers in bean farming in 2021 and to offer appropriate solutions. For this purpose, questions about bean farming were asked to one hundred farmers who were randomly selected from the districts with the highest bean cultivation in the Konya region, and the results obtained were examined as "%" unit. As the result of the present research, it was seen that Konya farmers are insufficient in matters such as fertilization quantity and technic, irrigation density, control of diseases and pests, and usage of the certified seeds in dry bean farming. Since the cultivation techniques have direct or indirect impacts on the seed yield and seed quality of the beans, so it is necessary to correct the important deficiencies or mistakes of our farmers. In addition, intending to ensure agricultural sustainability and healthy human nutrition, it is essential to increase production and quality by determining the problems related to legumes that should be included in the rotation systems and on the food menu, and related issues are overseen inwardly the aim of the present research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Control of the soybean looper Chrysodeixis includens (Walker) in bean cultivation has been achieved mainly through the application of chemical insecticides. However, this pest is acquiring resistance to common agents, and its habit of sheltering under leaves in the middle or lower thirds makes contact with control products difficult. The use of resistant plant genotypes is promising, as plants have complex defense mechanisms against herbivorous insects. The objective of this work was to evaluate the expression of potential sources of constitutive resistance to C. includens, by twelve commercial common bean genotypes. Attractiveness and non-preference for feeding were evaluated by free-choice and no-choice tests, using leaf discs to determine the percentage of caterpillars present on leaf discs, as well as the leaf area consumed. Biological development was assessed by growth parameters such as weight, developmental period and survival. On analyzing the data, BRS MG Madrepérola (antixenosis and antibiosis), BRS Sublime (antixenosis) and IAC 1850 (antibiosis) were found to be resistant to the pest. In contrast, IAC Sintonia (Antiga seleção), IAC Sintonia (Nova seleção) and IAC Imperador, showed susceptibility. The results of this work are important for the selection of new sources of common bean resistance to C. includens, since thus far there are few published studies of this phenomenon. Additional investigations should be carried out to identify the mechanisms responsible for resistance to C. includens, with a view to increasing their expression or to incorporating them into common bean breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Information on the resistant starch (RS) of the common bean seed, its concentration and health effects are scarce. RS is a starch fraction partly resistant to the digestive enzymes, thus acting as a food fibre. Through a systematic map of the RS concentration in common bean on scopus and web of science databases, we found 1978 records, of which 108 papers reporting information on the Composition or Characterisation (seventy‐four papers), Digestion/fermentation (thirty‐two papers) and Health issues (twenty‐three papers) and sixty‐two on the RS concentration of the crude common bean dry seed. We found that mean RS concentration in common bean is 16.4% (median = 12.2%) with a high‐standard deviation (12.8%). Common bean was compared with the other legumes in thirty‐four reports and to cereals in seventeen reports, and in three papers to either banana or potato. We found that reports on the industrial uses of bean RS and on the agronomic, environmental and genetic determinants of RS accumulation in common beans are very scarce. The ability to modulate RS concentration in beans can have different implications for countries with variable food calories or food fibre demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amendments are good tools for immobilizing metal(loid) and improving phytoremediation success. However, the amendment effect is variable and depends on multiple parameters, including amendment type and ageing. Such an ageing effect is rarely studied. Our study is one of the first focusing on how biochar storage affects its effect on soil properties and metal(loid) immobilization, when biochar was applied alone or in combination with green manure. To answer this, a 33-day pot incubation experiment was set up using contaminated soil, amended with two biochars (differing in ages: old (Bo) and new (Bn)) and/or two green manures (leaves of clover or poplar) and sown with Phaseolus vulgaris (bioindicator plant). Soil pore waters, plant growth and metal(loid) accumulation were evaluated. Biochar reduced soil acidity (Bn: + 0.75 pH unit, Bo: + 0.72 unit) and Pb mobility (Bn: − 42%, Bo: − 50%), while green manures acidified the soil (− 0.30 pH unit) and immobilized Pb only after 10 days (− 44%). All amendments reduced soil phytotoxicity. Moreover, the biochar stored at room temperature for a few years demonstrated better abilities to improve soil properties, particularly for Pb immobilization, than the biochar freshly prepared. Finally, as mixtures maturated, soil parameters changed until about ten days, then tended to stabilize. Therefore, it can be concluded that (1) biochar storage will affect its chemical properties and ameliorate its effects, (2) biochar can ameliorate soil properties and immobilize metal(loid)s, while green manures tended to have adverse effects at first, and (3) soil/amendment mixtures should be left to mature about two weeks before potential plant implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Mining activities generate considerable quantities of wastes that are usually accumulated in the open air, and form dykes that disfigure the landscape and arable land. The present study aims to isolate and select the phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSBs) from Phosphate Solid Sludge to improve the agronomic efficacy of phosphate bio-fertilizers. Methods: Thirty-one bacterial strains were isolated from the Moroccan phosphate sludge, from which 24 were retained after molecular phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA sequences and characterized biochemically, phenotypically, and genotypically. Strains with the best plant growth-promoting and tolerance to abiotic stress traits were therefore reselected for the biocontrol test against Fusarium oxysporum and Botrytis cinerea and inoculation trials of Phaseolus vulgaris. Results: The 24 selected strains have significantly different abilities to solubilize Moroccan rock phosphate, and the quantity of soluble phosphate varied between 3.25 and 140 µg/ml. Out of 24 selected PSBs, 33% were positive in tricalcium phosphate solubilization with a solubilization index ranging from 1.8 to 3.5. Furthermore, the selected strains could produce phytohormone (indole acetic acid), siderophores, hydrogen cyanide, and lytic enzymes (cellulase and chitinase). The majority of PSBs strains were resistant to extreme abiotic stresses (salinity, high temperature, and pH change) and tolerant to heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Cu, and Pb). Exhibiting the best results, the strains HFBP01, HFBP15, and HFBP26 identified as Brevibacterium frigoritolerans, Bacillus valismortis, and Streptomyces venezuelae, respectively, showed a significant in vitro antagonistic activity of about 50% and 34% against F. oxysporum and B. cinerea, respectively. Individual inoculation of P. vulgaris plants by HFBP26 and combined by HFBP01-HFBP15-HFBP26 consortium significantly increased shoot dry biomass by about 73.6% and 70.6%, respectively. The most significant root dry biomass increase was observed under inoculation by HFBP01-HFBP15 (5.2-fold). Conclusion: The three isolated PSBs from phosphate sludge could be used as potential biofertilizer candidates to increase plant productivity. Field-testing with the potential use of phosphate sludge will further elucidate their effects on plant growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three planting spaces (7, 10, and 13 cm.) between seeds and the effect of humic acid with the recommended dose (2 kg/feddan) and different rates of NPK fertilizer (humic 100%, NPK 100%, Humic + 25% NPK, Humic + 50% NPK, Humic + 75% NPK, Humic + 100% NPK, and control) were evaluated throughout the 2019 and 2020 seasons at Suez Governorate to determine their combined effect on the population density of certain insect pests, aphids (mainly Aphis gossypii, Myzus persicae, and Aphis craccivora), whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, jassids, Empasca lybica, and rust disease severity, Uromyces appendiculatus on common bean plants, Phaseolus vulgaris (Nepraska cultivar), and pod yield. Common bean plants cultivated in the closest and intermediate planting spaces (7 and 10 cm between hills) harbored the significantly highest infestation of all four pests. The significantly lowest infestation of the three studied insects and rust disease was obtained from common bean plants treated with humic acid plus 50% NPK. The four studied pests and produced yield were significantly affected by both two studied factors together, as the treatment of humic acid + 50% NPK at the three tested spacings (7, 10, and 13 cm) showed the lowest infestation and gave the highest weight of pods. Common bean plants grown in control treatments that did not receive any fertilizers were infested with the least significant numbers of the three studied insects due to the weakness of the plant and the lack of sufficient vegetation while infected by the heaviest rust disease severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed traits are very important agronomic traits that contribute significantly into crop yield and are considered useful indicators to monitor the inheritance of quantitative traits influenced by genotype and environmental conditions. To investıgate genomic regions useful for breeding high-yielding and highly nutritious common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars, a mini core collection of Turkish common bean germplasm was screened under five environments and two locations for seed traits (seed width, seed yield/plant (SYP), and hundred seed weight). The results of analysis of variance (ANOVA) across the environments revealed significant effects of genotypes and genotype by environment interaction (G × E) for all studied traits except hundred seed weight (HSW), where G × E was found nonsignificant. During this study, mean seed width, SYP, and HSW were 7.038 mm, 21.815 g, and 42.1 g, respectively. Pearson's correlation coefficient revealed a significant and positive correlation (p = 0.01) of seed width with SYP and HSW. At the provinces level, minimum and maximum HSW was reflected by Elazığ and Bolu provinces, respectively. Studied germplasm was grouped into two populations in constellation analysis based on their HSW. A total of 7900 DArTseq markers identified through genotyping by sequencing (GBS) were used for the investigation of marker-trait association. DArT-3373385 marker present on chromosome Pv08 showed a significant association for seed width. DArT-8215545 marker showed a significant association for SYP and this marker was also present on chromosome Pv08. A total of four DArTseq markers were determined to be associated with HSW, and DArT-3372052 contributed maximum (11.32%) to phenotypic variations. We believe that the reported genomic regions will be helpful for future marker-assisted breeding regarding yield-related traits in common bean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 6 July 2018, the Center for Epidemiology and Public Health of the French Armed Forces was informed of an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis among customers of a dining facility at a military base in Brittany, France. A total of 200 patients were reported out of a population of 1700 (attack rate: 12%). The symptoms were mainly lower digestive tract disorders and occurred rapidly after lunch on 5 July (median incubation period: 3.3 h), suggesting a toxin-like pathogenic process. A case–control survey was carried out (92 cases and 113 controls). Statistical analysis pointed to the chili con carne served at lunch on 5 July as the very likely source of poisoning. Phytohaemagglutinin, a plant lectin, was found in the chili con carne at a concentration above the potentially toxic dose (400 HAU/gram). The raw kidney beans incorporated in the chili con carne presented a high haemagglutination activity (66,667 HAU/gram). They were undercooked, and the phytohaemagglutinin was not completely destroyed. FBDOs due to PHA are poorly documented. This study highlights the need to develop methods for routine testing of plant toxins in food matrices. Improved diagnostic capabilities would likely lead to better documentation, epidemiology, and prevention of food-borne illnesses caused by plant toxins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faced with the contrasting results of inoculation and co-inoculation in the bean crop, an experiment was carried out in pots, with the objective of evaluating the performance of the bean plant in treatments inoculated or co-inoculated with Rhizobium tropici and Azospirillum brasilense, via seeds, with or without chemical treatment with fungicide and insecticide, combined with 4 top-dressing nitrogen doses (0, 30, 60, and 120 kg ha-1), in a 'Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo distrófico arenoso' soil collected from the surface layer from 0 to 0.20 m depth. The results of the Scott Knott test and regression showed that co-inoculation via seeds did not alter vegetative growth, components, and grain yield. However, without chemical treatment, co-inoculation increased plant root volume. Root dry matter production was higher when only A. brasilense was used and when combined with fungicide, or with insecticide and R. tropici. While the combination of fungicide, insecticide and A. brasilense increased the dry matter production of shoots and grains per plant. Even with inoculation or co-inoculation, there was a linear response of the common bean to topdressing fertilization up to 120 kg ha-1 of N in vegetative and root growth, pod production and grain per pod. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legumes are sensitive to salt stress, especially in the early phases of growth. Brassinosteroids (BRs) or proline (Pro) have been shown to improve salt stress tolerance in several plant species when given exogenously. Therefore, two pot experiments laid out in 4 × 3 factorial in a completely randomised design, replicated three times were carried out on snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cv. Valentino to examine the roles of BRs or Pro in improving the salt tolerance of snap beans. The first factor included four saline irrigation water levels viz. 0.0, 20, 40, and 60 mM sodium chloride (NaCl), while the second factor involved foliar application with 0.1 µM BRs or 30 mM Pro or distilled water as control. The results revealed that saline irrigation water reduced chlorophyll, membrane stability, relative water content, and yield. Exogenous BRs or Pro alleviated salt stress by reducing uptake and translocation of Na+ and Cl− while enhancing plant K+ assimilation. Increased water status, chlorophyll content, and antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD, POD, CAT) in leaves of snap beans may contribute to improved salt tolerance. These findings suggested that foliar treatment of brassinosteroids or proline could be an effective strategy to improve snap bean salt tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, fermented foods have attracted increasing attention due to their important role in the human diet, since they supply beneficial health effects, providing important sources of nutrients. In this respect, a comprehensive characterization of the metabolite content in fermented foods is required to achieve a complete vision of physiological, microbiological, and functional traits. In the present preliminary study, the NMR-based metabolomic approach combined with chemometrics has been applied, for the first time, to investigate the metabolite content of Phaseolus vulgaris flour fermented by different lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts. A differentiation of microorganisms (LAB and yeasts), LAB metabolism (homo- and heterofermentative hexose fermentation), LAB genus (Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, and Pediococcus), and novel genera (Lacticaseibacillus, Lactiplantibacillus, and Lentilactobacillus) was achieved. Moreover, our findings showed an increase of free amino acids and bioactive molecules, such as GABA, and a degradation of anti-nutritional compounds, such as raffinose and stachyose, confirming the beneficial effects of fermentation processes and the potential use of fermented flours in the production of healthy baking foods. Finally, among all microorganisms considered, the Lactiplantibacillus plantarum species was found to be the most effective in fermenting bean flour, as a larger amount of free amino acids were assessed in their analysis, denoting more intensive proteolytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since soil salinization is a concern all over the world, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, the present study aimed to alleviate the adverse effects of salinity on red bean plants. A factorial experiment based on CRD design was conducted to investigate the effects of zinc (Zn; 0 and 25 ppm), manganese (Mn; 0 and 25 ppm), and glycine betaine (GB; 0 and 50 ppm) on the plants under three levels of salinity (0, 3, and 6 dS/m NaCl). The results showed that the plant growth indexes such as plant height, number of branches, number of pods per plant, and seed weight per plant significantly increased with the application of GB under salinity stress. Also, the applications of the GB, Zn, and Mn significantly increased the chlorophyll, protein, and proline contents, while decreased malondialdehyde (MDA), electrolyte leakage (EL), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) under salt stress, compared to the control. Based on the results, the GB, Zn, and Mn mitigated the adverse effects of salinity stress on red bean plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitinase, a pathogenesis-related protein, from bean seeds was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulphate precipitation and chitin affinity binding technique from common bean seeds. Chitinase showed a molecular mass of nearly 32,500KDa by SDS-PAGE the enzyme was purified to 2.47-fold with a specific activity of 1,93U/mg using ammonium sulphate precipitation and the purification increased to 5.61fold with a specific activity of 4.83 U/mg after chitin affinity binding technique. The optimum pH and Temperature of the purified enzyme activity were found to be 5.4 and 45°C respectively. The thermostability test of the enzyme showed its stability till 50°C. The purified enzyme was enhanced by Na+, k+, Ca2+, and Mg² salts and inhibited by Hg2+ and Pb2+ salts at different concentrations. The enzyme exhibited a strong inhibitory action against Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium solani, Fusarium moniliform, Alternaria alterna, and Candida albicans. The enzyme may represent an important defense protein in bean seeds. The finding suggests the possible usage of the purified enzyme as an antifungal agent against some phytopathogenic fungi in the field and its gene can be cloned and expressed in other plants for the production of fungal resistance once. Besides, the anticandidal activity suggests its possible pharmaceutical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genotype x environment interactions represent a major challenge in identifying and selecting genotypes responsive to different climate and soil conditions. This research evaluated and selected pre-cultivars of carioca bean and early carioca bean based on adaptability, stability, and grain yield. In the 2014 crop season, two regional competition trials were conducted in the state of Pernambuco: carioca beans (14 genotypes in Arcoverde, Belém de São Francisco, Caruaru and São João) and early carioca beans (11 genotypes in Araripina, Arcoverde, and Caruaru) and, in the 2015 crop season, with early carioca beans (11 genotypes in Araripina, Arcoverde, and Brejão). Parameters were estimated by mixed models, and the selection was performed using the Harmonic Mean of Relative Performance of Genetic Values (HMRPGV) method following three strategies: i) selection based on predicted genetic value with no interaction; ii) selection according to predicted genetic value considering each location; and iii) simultaneous selection for grain yield, adaptability, and stability. The environments influenced the phenotypic expression of the carioca and early carioca bean genotypes, representing a specific adaptation. The genotypes BRS Notável, BRS Estilo and BRS Pérola, of carioca beans, and CNFC 15875, BRS Notável and CNFC 15630, of early carioca beans, had the best results in the environments tested, regarding, simultaneously, adaptability to different soil and climate conditions, performance stability, and grain yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth retardants have been used as an anti-lodging to reduce shoot growth by blocking the gibberellins biosynthesis without decreasing yield. We hypothesized that the type and dosage of growth retardants vary in effectiveness on reducing vegetative growth and increasing seed yield, as well as that prohexadione calcium (Pro-Ca) may also be an effective growth retardant for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The goal of this study was to assess the effects of increasing rates of paclobutrazol (PBZ), mepiquat chloride (MC), and Pro-Ca on common bean morphophysiological and yield traits, based on a field experiment carried out in Vitória da Conquista, northeastern Brazil. Morphophysiological traits were assessed 14 and 38 days after application (DAA) of regulators, and yield traits were assessed at the end of the crop cycle. There was a positive relationship between increasing rates of regulators and decrease in stem length mainly up to 14 DAA, and Pro-Ca was more effective than the other regulators. At 38 DAA, increase in shoot dry mass was recorded when PBZ and MC were sprayed at rates from 100 to 400 g a.i. ha−1. Pro-Ca application increased the height of first pod insertion. Low rates of PBZ (25–50 g a.i. ha−1) increased, whereas high rates of Pro-Ca (200 and 400 g a.i. ha−1) tended to decrease the number of pods per plant. MC reduced the number of empty pods and increased the number of seeds per pod. The 100-seed weight increased up to a peak with an estimated rate of 162.5 g a.i. ha−1 for PBZ, 151.0 g a.i. ha−1 for MC, and 211.8 g a.i. ha−1 for Pro-Ca. PBZ and MC marginally increased seed yield with peaks at the estimated rates of 190.8 and 212.4 g a.i. ha−1, respectively, whereas rates of Pro-Ca greater than 50 g a.i. ha−1 decreased seed yield. The regulators were effective in reducing the plant size, thus mitigating lodging risks in common bean crop with highlight on Pro-Ca, but this regulator at high rates tended to reduce common bean yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The common bean has received attention as a model plant for legume studies, but little information is available about the morphology of its pods and the relation of this morphology to the loss of seed dispersal and/or the pod string, which are key agronomic traits of legume domestication. Dehiscence is related to the pod morphology and anatomy of pod tissues because of the weakening of the dorsal and ventral dehiscence zones and the tensions of the pod walls. These tensions are produced by the differential mechanical properties of lignified and non-lignified tissues and changes in turgor associated with fruit maturation. In this research, we histologically studied the dehiscence zone of the ventral and dorsal sutures of the pod in two contrasting genotypes for the dehiscence and string, by comparing different histochemical methods with autofluorescence. We found that the secondary cell wall modifications of the ventral suture of the pod were clearly different between the dehiscence-susceptible and stringy PHA1037 and the dehiscence-resistant and stringless PHA0595 genotypes. The susceptible genotype had cells of bundle caps arranged in a more easily breakable bowtie knot shape. The resistant genotype had a larger vascular bundle area and larger fibre cap cells (FCCs), and due to their thickness, the external valve margin cells were significantly stronger than those from PHA1037. Our findings suggest that the FCC area, and the cell arrangement in the bundle cap, might be partial structures involved in the pod dehiscence of the common bean. The autofluorescence pattern at the ventral suture allowed us to quickly identify the dehiscent phenotype and gain a better understanding of cell wall tissue modifications that took place along the bean's evolution, which had an impact on crop improvement. We report a simple autofluorescence protocol to reliably identify secondary cell wall organization and its relationship to the dehiscence and string in the common bean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Future predictions due to climate change are of decreases in rainfall and longer drought periods. The search for new tolerant crops is an important strategy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of water stress on the physiology and productivity of crops with potential for growing in the off-season period in the Cerrado, and evaluate correlations with the temperature of the canopy obtained by means of thermography. The experiment was conducted under field conditions, with experimental design in randomized blocks, in a split-plot scheme and four replications. The plots were: common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris); amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus); quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa); and buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum). The subplots were composed of four water regimes: maximum water regime (WR 535 mm), high-availability regime (WR 410 mm), off-season water regime (WR 304 mm) and severe water regime (WR 187 mm). Under WR 304 mm, the internal concentration of CO2 and photosynthesis were reduced by less than 10% in amaranth. Common bean and buckwheat reduced 85% in photosynthesis. The reduction in water availability increased the canopy temperature in the four crops and, in general, common bean was the most sensitive species, while quinoa had the lowest canopy temperatures. Furthermore, canopy temperature correlated negatively with grain yield, biomass yield and gas exchange across all plant species, thus thermal imaging of the canopy represents a promising tool for monitoring crop productivity for farmers, For the identification of crops with high water use management for research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci is among the most important agricultural pests in the world and one of the world's top 10 most invasive insect pests. Bemisia tabaci is associated with severe yield and quality losses, mainly due to the transmission of plant viruses, as in the case of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Reducing insecticide applications is a research priority, e.g., developing innovative and clean tools such as electromagnetic waves. The present work aims to determine the effective parameters of laser to reduce the Bemisia tabaci population in common beans. Preliminary assays were conducted by manually irradiating continuous-wave laser beams with different wavelengths (444 nm, 527 nm, and 640 nm) and optical intensities directly on the insects. Among these, the most effective wavelength was 444 nm. Later, we repeated the experiments using a homemade automated system to control the exposure time (t1 = 1 s, t2 = 2 s, t3 = 3 s and t4 = 4 s) of whiteflies to the incident beam at different optical intensities (I1 ≈ 10 Wcm−2, I2 ≈ 4 Wcm−2, I3 ≈ 2 Wcm−2). We have achieved 100% insect mortality by irradiating 454 nm laser wavelength on the 3rd instar nymphs of Bemisia tabaci, with the following parameters: I1(t1), I2(t3) and I3(t4). Moreover, the laser irradiation test did not affect plant yield and development, revealing that our preliminary results present a photonic technique that could control whiteflies without harming the plants' development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is a valuable vegetable that has a high amount of functional nutrients and bioactive compounds. The use of zinc (Zn) fertilizer to improve green bean productivity and nutrient value is limited. A study was performed to evaluate plant growth, productivity and harvest quality of different pole and bush green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) varieties as affected by zinc sulphate and Lys-Zn. Results showed that green bean shoot fresh and dry weights increased by the two sources of Zn fertilizer in pole varieties compared with controls. The bush types, 'Burpees' and 'Black valentine' showed higher yield with Lys-Zn application compared with the control. Antioxidant activity was enhanced by Lys-Zn in 'Blv". The 'Burpees', 'Dragon' and 'Black valentine' indicated highest antioxidant activity. Results indicated that regardless of the source of Zn fertilizer, all the green bean varieties were rich in calcium, magnesium, and potassium. 'Dragon' under ZnSO4 had the highest Zn content. Also, foliar application with Lys-Zn enhanced protein, starch, calcium, auxin, and folate mostly in 'Burpees', 'Dragon', and 'Black valentine'. Moreover, total essential and non-essential amino acids were improved by Lys-Zn in 'Sunray' and 'Burpees'. A real-time PCR indicated that Lys-Zn increased Bowman–Birk inhibitor (BBI) gene expression in'Sunray', 'Burpees' and 'Cherokee' compared with the others. Moreover, the interaction effect of variety and zinc gave the highest yield, antioxidant capacity, nutrient elements, and folate contents in 'Burpees' under the Lys-Zn treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethylene insensitive-3 (EIN3) / Ethylene insensitive-3-like (EIL) protein family is a small family of transcription factors specific to plants that play role in plant growth and development under various environmental conditions. In this study, various bioinformatics approaches were used to make an in-depth identification of the EIN3/EIL family at both the gene and protein levels. So, 11 Pvul-EIL genes were identified and their approximate locations were determined. Various biochemical and physicochemical properties of EIL proteins in Phaseolus vulgaris have been described. It was determined that Pvul-EIL proteins had a length of 447-651 amino acids and a molecular weight of 51.08-70.68 kDa. All duplications occurring in the Pvul-EIL genome were segmental type. It was observed that conserved motif, gene structure and phylogeny analyses all yielded similar results. For instance, it has been understood that genes with same motif type and number have similar gene structures and were located under the same branch in the phylogenetic tree. Pvul-EIL protein homology modeling showed that DNA binding properties and protein structure were similar to Arabidopsis EIN3. According to cis-element analysis, Pvul-EIL genes are engaged in a wide range of functions, including tissue-specific, stress, and hormone-sensitive expression. Additionally, RNAseq data was used to perform a comparative expression analysis of EIL genes. Various Pvul-EIL gene expression levels were detected under salt and drought stress. This is the first study to check the gene expression levels in P. vulgaris using in-silico detection and characterization of EIL genes. Therefore, obtained results can form the basis for future studies.

Common bean is an important legume consumed as a source of food and used as a cash crop worldwide. However, its production and productivity are mainly constrained by bacterial and fungal diseases. A field survey was conducted to determine the prevalence, incidence, severity and association of factors influencing common bacterial blight (CBB) and anthracnose epidemics in major bean growing areas of Ethiopia, during 2019. In three regions within six zones from 12 districts, a total of 180 common bean fields were assessed for CBB and anthracnose. The results revealed that CBB and anthracnose were 100% prevalent though CBB was more severe than anthracnose. The logistic regression model showed CBB and anthracnose components were significantly associated with biophysical factors. High CBB incidence (>70%) at Ambo, Arsi-Negele and Shashemene-zuriya and high severity (>30%) at Ambo, Boricha and Shahsemene-zuriya were strongly associated with sole cropping, July sowing, poor weeding practices, maturity stage and own saved seeds. Anthracnose incidence of >50% and severity of >30% had high probabilities of associations with zones, sole cropping, own saved seeds, variety, poor weeding practices and maturity stages. The study indicated that CBB and anthracnose are severe and 100% prevalent in Ethiopia, and efforts should be done towards the usage of clean seeds, weeding practices, following appropriate sowing dates and other appropriate agronomic practices to manage the diseases.