Structure of genetic diversity and genome-wide association studies of bean fly (Ophiomyia spencerella) resistance in common bean

Eastern Africa is a significant region of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production and genetic diversity. Insect pests are a major biotic constraint in subsistence crop production systems. Bean fly (Ophiomyia spencerella) is a serious pest of beans in eastern Africa highlands. Breeding efforts focus on combining adaptability traits with user preferred seed types. However, lack of information on molecular markers linked to genes modulating bean fly resistance has slowed breeding progress. The objectives were to: (i) characterize genetic diversity and uncover putative bean fly resistant genotypes within diverse seed types and market classes and (ii) identify genomic regions controlling bean fly resistance using genome-wide association analysis (GWAS). A set of 276 diverse genotypes comprising local landraces and varieties from Kenya alongside introductions from International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), were assembled. The germplasm represented varied bean production ecologies and seed types. Genetic diversity conforming to Andean and Mesoamerican genepools was established. Out of 276 genotypes evaluated, 150 were Andean, 74 were Mesoamerican and 52 were admixed. Twenty-two genotypes were resistant to bean fly. Association mapping results for stem damage score and plant mortality identified six significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on chromosomes Pv01 and Pv09. The most significant SNP marker was 12 kilobases downstream of Phvul.001G074900 gene with LOD score > 4.0 hence in linkage disequilibrium with the postulated gene. The identified candidate gene is pleiotropic and modulates both flowering time and plant responses to stress. These findings are a key step towards marker-enabled breeding in common bean for sub-Saharan Africa.