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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » Vegetable Crops Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #367173
Research Project: Trait Discovery, Genetics, and Enhancement of Allium, Cucumis, and Daucus Germplasm

Location: Vegetable Crops Research

Title: Improving the health benefits of snap bean: Genome wide association studies of total phenolic content

Author
item MYERS, JAMES - Oregon State University
item Wallace, Lyle
item MOGHADDAM, SAMIRA - Michigan State University
item KLEINTOP, ADRIENNE - Delaware Valley College
item ECHEVERRIA, DIMAS - University Of Massachusetts
item THOMPSON, HENRY - Colorado State University
item BRICK, MARK - Colorado State University
item MCCLEAN, PHILLIP - North Dakota State University

Submitted to: Nutrients
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/5/2019
Publication Date: 10/18/2019
Citation: Myers, J.R., Wallace, L.T., Moghaddam, S.M., Kleintop, A.E., Echeverria, D., Thompson, H.J., Brick, M.A., Lee, R., McClean, P.E. 2019. Improving the health benefits of snap bean: Genome- wide association studies of total phenolic content. Nutrients. 11(10):2509. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11102509.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11102509

Interpretive Summary: Places in the genetic material were identified that may contain genes for healthy flavonoid production in green beans. This will help plant breeders develop green beans with healthy flavonoid traits with less effort. This will be a benefit farmers by allowing them to sell higher quality green beans at a premium price, and consumers will benefit from vegetables with improved health benefits. The benefit will be higher quality beans at a higher price for farmers and healthier vegetables for consumers.

Technical Abstract: Snap beans are a significant source of micronutrients in the human diet. Among the micronutrients present in snap beans are phenolic compounds with known beneficial effects on human health potentially via their metabolism by the gut associated microbiome. The genetic pathways leading to the production of phenolics in snap bean pods remain uncertain. In this study, we quantified the level of total phenolic content (TPC) in the Bean CAP snap bean diversity panel of 149 accessions. The panel was characterized spectrophotometrically for phenolic content through a Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric assay. Flower, seed and pod color were also quantified since red, purple, yellow and brown colors are associated with anthocyanins and flavonols in common bean. Genotyping was performed through an Illumina Infinium Genechip BARCBEAN6K_3 SNP array. GWAS analysis identified 11 quantitative trait nucleotides (QTN) associated with TPC. A SNP was identified for TPC on Pv07 located near the P gene that is a major switch in the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway. Candidate genes were identified for seven of the 11 TPC QTN. Five regulatory genes were identified and represent novel sources of variation for exploitation in developing snap bean with higher phenolic levels for greater health benefits to the consumer.