Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L)

This paper reviews the origins and general botany of Phaseolus vulgaris, the different cropping systems used for bean production, the agronomic and biological factors which most limit crop yield, and the strategies for improvement in this crop. While the common bean originated in the Americas, it is now grown widely in both the old- and the new world and in Africa, with the most suitable ideotype, and the disease and insect resistance factors needed for a particular production area, dependent on local conditions. Marked color and seed-type preferences further complicate the breeding and adoption of new varieties. The paper considers both conventional approaches and marker-assisted methods for breeding in this crop. The common bean is a crop with multiple disease and insect pests, and the ability to quickly and effectively select plants carrying multiple or different types of resistance gene is essential to an orderly and efficient processing of progeny. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.