Selection for chilling and freezing resistance in common bean

Suboptimal seedbed temperatures (<15°C) in early spring, and risk of late spring- and early fall-frosts are detrimental to dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production on the northern prairies. This study: i) determined the effects of suboptimal seedbed temperatures on dry bean seedling emergence and yield; ii) evaluated diverse accessions of cultivated and wild bean for emergence at suboptimal temperatures; iii) investigated freezing resistance in Phaseolus species; and iv) obtained interspecific hybrids between frost sensitive P. vulgaris and frost resistant P. angustissimus. The mid May planting of dry bean cultivars in 1999 and 2000 resulted in lower emergence (74 to 89%) compared to the late May planting (93 to 95%). However, highest yield was obtained in 1999 with the mid May planting, partly because two indeterminate cultivars, failed to mature prior to the first fall frost, when planted in late May. When common bean accessions were planted on May 3, 2000, G8823 had the highest emergence at 20 days after planting. The check cultivar CDC Nighthawk was comparable to G8823 at 30 days after planting. A similar trend was observed in 2001 except emergence was higher in later sampling times due to a warmer seedbed. Accessions with low cumulative thermal units to anthesis, however, were not necessarily early in maturity. G8823 was the only accession with consistent early emergence, early anthesis and early maturity in both years. Leaflets of wild relatives of common bean showed extensive supercooling and their LT50 in the presence of external nucleators was 0.5 to 1°C lower compared to the cultivated species. Exposure to cold acclimating temperatures had no effect in enhancing freezing tolerance of Phaseolus species. Phaseolus angustissimus had the highest seedling survival (55 to 85%) in response to both the fall frost of 2000 and the spring frost of 2001 when the minimum air temperatures were below -5°C. Frost sensitive common bean was crossed as the female parent with the frost resistant P. angustissimus to obtain F1 interspecific hybrids. In reciprocal crosses, flowers aborted at three days after pollination. Interspecific hybrid plants grew to produce flowers, but failed to set seed. The mid May planting of dry bean cultivars will result in higher seed yield compared to the late May planting in years with a mid September or earlier frosts. Successful introgression of both resistance to suboptimal seedbed temperatures during emergence (accession G8823) and frost resistance (P. angustissimus) into common bean may expand the gographic distribution of bean crop to higher altitudes and latitudes

Canning quality of popular common bean germplasm in Eastern and Central Africa

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) genotypes popular in eastern and central Africa were evaluated to determine their suitability for the canning industry. The genotypes were planted at the National Agricultural Research Laboratories (NARL), Kawanda-Uganda in the second rainy seasons (July-September) of 2015, 2016 and off season of 2017 (November- February). Two samples per genotype were evaluated at the canning facilities at Kawanda and Michigan State University (MSU) using a protocol based on home canning. One sample per genotype from the 2017 harvest was evaluated at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Centre (AAFC-LRDC) using the industry canning protocol. Data (n=134) was collected on seed moisture content, dry and soaked bean weight, hydration coefficient (HC) and visual quality, including colour retention, appearance, brine clarity, bean splitting and freedom starch/clumps on replicated samples. Additional data on unreplicated samples were collected on 100-seed weight, seed solids for canning, hydration coefficient after soaking (HCS), hydration coefficient after blanching (HCB), drain weight (%), matting, appearance, seed color, texture, and cooking quality traits including hard seed and partially hydrated seed (%) and HC after cooking. Analysis of variance of data from MSU and Kawanda showed significant (P≤0.01) differences among genotypes for the assessed parameters. Majority of the genotypes expressed good soaking ability considering that their HC were above the 1.8 recommended for canning and 28% combined the two mentioned traits with good overall canning quality visual rating. Apart from 26, all other varieties had good HC based on data from Canada. About 24% of genotypes belonging to various market classes consistently combined this trait with good visual quality. The most outstanding genotypes based on these traits included SAB659 (red mottled), MAC44 (red mottled), NABE21 (cream), NABE12C (cream) and VAX5 (cream), KK8 (red mottled), Bihogo (yellow) and VAX4 (black). These genotypes were superior to the white beans: MEXICO 142, Awash1, and Awash Melka, that were considered as high-quality controls. Results indicated that genotypes of diverse backgrounds, with good canning quality traits exist among the currently utilised varieties and breeding lines. This diversity could be exploited for breeding and varietal promotion in the canning industry

AAC Scotty cranberry common bean

AAC Scotty (CFIA registration No.8374) is a high-yielding cranberry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivar with a large seed size, and resistance to races 73 and 105 of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, developed at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Morden Research and Development Centre, MB. AAC Scotty is adapted to the dry bean producing regions of the Red River Valley with an average maturity of 97 d. AAC Scotty has acceptable cooking and canning quality.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

AAC Expedition pinto dry bean

AAC Expedition is a high yielding pinto dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivar with a semi-upright, indeterminate bush (Type IIb) growth habit, large seed size, low percentage of hard seed and bright seed coat colour. Improved seed quality traits especially bright seed coat colour and low percentage of hard seeds after soaking, and high yield potential of AAC Expedition will make it a preferred pinto bean cultivar for commercial production. AAC Expedition developed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Research and Development Centre, Lethbridge, AB, is well suited for commercial production under irrigation in Alberta and Saskatchewan.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

AAC Cranford cranberry dry bean

AAC Cranford is an early maturing cranberry dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivar with high yield, an upright determinate bush (Type I) growth habit and large seed size. Currently, dry bean cultivars in the cranberry bean market class are only commercially grown in Manitoba and Ontario primarily due to their late maturity. Therefore, AAC Cranford with its early maturity and high yield potential will enable growers to commercially produce cranberry bean in Alberta and Saskatchewan.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

AAC Y012 and AAC Y015 yellow dry bean

AAC Y012 and AAC Y015 are high yielding, early maturing yellow dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars with a determinate bush growth habit (Type I), improved seed coat colour and partial field resistance to white mould. AAC Y012 and AAC Y015 were developed at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Research and Development Centre, Lethbridge, AB. AAC Y012 and AAC Y015 are suitable for irrigated wide row production in Alberta and Saskatchewan.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

AAC Y073 yellow dry bean

AAC Y073 is a high yielding yellow dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivar with a partially upright, determinate bush (Type I) growth habit, early maturity, and large seeds with a bright yellow seed coat. Large, bright yellow seeds of AAC Y073 is an improvement over the current check cultivar CDC Sol. AAC Y073 was developed at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Lethbridge, AB, and is well suited for commercial production under irrigation in Alberta and Saskatchewan.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Nitrogen use efficiency of irrigated dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) genotypes in southern Alberta

Although dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a legume capable of fixing nitrogen, fertilizer N is usually recommended for its production in Canada because it is believed to be an inefficient N fixer. Using genotypes with high N use efficiency (NUE) would reduce the amount of applied N, which usually has deleterious environmental effects. We evaluated 22 bean genotypes for N uptake efficiency (NUpE) in a greenhouse trial, and 16 genotypes for N use efficiency (NUE) and its components: NUpE and N utilization efficiency (NUtE) in two seasons (2012 and 2013) of a field trial at 30 kg N ha-1 (30N) and 100 kg N ha-1 (100N) soil levels. Root biomass and surface area were highly correlated with NUpE in the greenhouse, where NUpE at 100N was 48% lower than that at 30N. In the field trial, grain yield was highly correlated with NUpE and NUtE at both 30N and 100N. The NUpE at 100N was 65% lower than that at 30N, and NUE at 100N was 68% lower than that at 30N. The low NUE at 100N in the field trial was mainly due to the difference in NUpE. This study also identified nine genotypes including five germplasm lines (PI 136692, GH-196, UNS-117, UI-239 and LEF2RB) and four cultivars (Othello, Viva, AC Redbond and Island) that were both N-efficient (at 30N) and N-responsive (to 100N).The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Biological nitrogen fixation by irrigated dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) genotypes

Dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is usually considered to be poor at biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), but large variations in this trait have been observed among bean genotypes. We evaluated 16 bean genotypes for N2 fixation ability in four N treatments: (a) uninoculated in low-N soil (30 kg N ha-1), (b) inoculated with commercial Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseoli inoculant Nitrastik-DÂŽ in low-N soil, (c) inoculated with commercial R. leguminosarum bv. phaseoli inoculant NodulatorÂŽ in low-N soil, and (d) uninoculated in high-N soil (100 kg N ha-1). There were differences between genotypes in all the plant parameters that were measured, but only nodulation was affected by N treatment. The 100 kg N ha-1 treatment suppressed nodulation. Seven genotypes nodulated well with either inoculant, two genotypes nodulated better with Nitrastik-D than with Nodulator, three nodulated better with Nodulator than with Nitrastik-D, and four nodulated poorly with either inoculant. Cultivars AC Redbond, Island and Resolute, all currently commercially grown, did not fix much N2 measured at flowering (4-8 kg N ha-1) or maturity (19-34 kg N ha-1). By contrast, germplasm lines PI 136692 (red bean), GH-196 (pinto bean) and LEF2RB (carioca bean) had high BNF capability at flowering (10-11 kg N ha-1) and especially at maturity (60-72 kg N ha-1), in addition to high seed yield (2778-2897 kg ha-1), indicating their superior ability to support both of these economically important traits throughout plant growth. These three genotypes would be valuable to breeders for genetic improvement of BNF in dry bean cultivars.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Gradient packing bed bio-filter for landfill methane mitigation

We assessed the suitability of various biogenic materials for development of a gradient packed bed bio-filter to mitigate the methane (CH4) emission from landfills. Five different biogenic materials (windrow compost-WC; vermicompost-VC; landfill top cover-LTC; landfill bottom soil-LBS; and river soil sediment-SS) were screened. Among these materials, the VC showed a better CH4 oxidation potential (MOP) of 12.6 μg CH4 gdw−1 h−1. Subsequently, the VC was used as a packing material along with wood chips in proto-type bio-filters. Wood chips were mixed at 5–15% to form three distinct gradients in a test bio-filter. Under the three different CH4 loading rates of 33, 44 and 55 gCH4 m−3 h−1, the achieved MOPs were 31, 41, and 47gCH4 m−3 h−1, respectively. The gradient packed bed bio-filter is effective for landfill CH4 mitigation than the conventional bio-filter as the latter shows gas channeling effects with poor MOPs