Characterization and application of the Andean Diversity Panel for the improvement of common bean productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa

Authors: Porch, Timothy - Tim; Cichy, Karen; Pastor Corrales, Marcial; GRUSAK, M.A. - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); BEAVER, JAMES - University Of Puerto Rico; Hart, John; FOURIE, DEIDRE - Agricultural Research Council Of South Africa; ESTEVEZ DE JENSEN, C. - University Of Puerto Rico; NCHIMBI, SUSAN - Sokoine University Of Agriculture; Miklas, Phillip - Phil

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/11/2016
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Common bean productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa is far below yield potential, while climate change and access to inputs are persistent challenges. In addition, the market and human nutrition needs for common bean continue to expand in the African continent, which has the highest rate of human population growth. The Andean Diversity Panel, of about 500 varieties from the principal Andean bean production regions worldwide, was created to characterize the phenotypic and genetic diversity of Andean beans and for mining key biotic and abiotic traits constraining production. Genome-wide association studies were completed on trait data including ALS, rust, bacterial blight diseases, and on biological nitrogen fixation and abiotic stress from multiple locations and using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS). The Phaseolus Improvement Cooperative (PIC) bulk breeding populations were developed from superior ADP lines for specific traits and used for targeted improvement in key common bean production regions in Tanzania, Malawi, and Uganda. Over one thousand lines are now being evaluated in several countries for selection of superior breeding lines for potential release. This effort of the USAID-ARS Feed-the-Future Grain Legumes Project is seeking to increase common bean productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa through the development of germplasm resources, molecular tools, and scientific knowledge. Improved breeding lines and cultivars from this effort promise to increase common bean productivity. These resources are being shared through application of the Open Data Polic

Technical Abstract: Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa is far below yield potential, while climate change and access to inputs are persistent challenges. In addition, the market and human nutrition needs for common bean continue to expand in the African continent, which has the highest rate of human population growth. The Andean Diversity Panel, of about 500 genotypes from the principal Andean bean production regions worldwide, was created to characterize the phenotypic and genetic diversity of Andean beans and for mining key biotic and abiotic traits constraining production. Genome-wide association studies were completed on trait data including ALS, rust, bacterial blight diseases, and on biological nitrogen fixation and abiotic stress from multiple locations using 31,194 SNPs generated from genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) with ApeKI. The Phaseolus Improvement Cooperative (PIC) bulk breeding populations were developed from superior ADP lines for specific traits and used for targeted improvement in key common bean production regions in Tanzania, Malawi, and Uganda. Over one thousand lines are now being evaluated in several countries for selection of superior breeding lines for potential release. This effort of the USAID-ARS Feed-the-Future Grain Legumes Project is seeking to increase common bean productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa through the development of germplasm resources, molecular tools, and scientific knowledge. These resources are being shared through application of the Open Data Policy.