Effects of seed dressing and fertilizer on the common bean yields, Bean stem maggot and Root rot diseases in Southern highlands of Tanzania

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris.L) is an important legume crop mainly for smallholder farmers in Tanzania, for home consumption and cash income. Nevertheless, the bean production in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania which contributes approximately 24.3% of the total bean country production is constrained by both abiotic and biotic factors. Among the most devastating biotic constraints includes the insect pests such as bean fly (Ophiomyia phaseoli), bean foliage beetle (Ootheca bennigseni) and aphids (Aphis fabae) and diseases such as bean root rots (BRR), while among the abiotic factors, the soil fertility was most prevalent. Two hundred- thirty (230) on-farm trials were established in seven bean growing districts to test the effects of seed dressing using an insecticide/fungicide Apron Star and an inorganic fertilizer-Yara Mila on crop performance (diseases, BSM incidence and grain yield) of five popular improved bean varieties and one farmer’s preferred variety as a check. BSM and BRR incidences and severities were evaluated at the flowering stage while the yield was done at harvest stage. It was also observed that the incidences of both BRR and BSM in the non-treated plots were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than the fertilizer applied alone, seed dressed alone, seed dressed and fertilizer applied plots. Similarly, plots treated with Apron Star and fertilizer combination exhibited the highest total yield of dry weight than the fertilizer alone, seed dresser alone and non-treated plot. All the improved bean varieties performed significantly (P < 0.05) higher than the farmers’ varieties. Njano Uyole showed better performance in diseases, pest incidence and yield among the improved varieties with or without dressing and fertilizers

Planteome/CO_335-common-bean-traits: 1st release

&lt;p&gt;This is the first release of the Common Bean repository&lt;/p&gt

Common Bean variety releases in Africa

The Pan Africa Bean Research Alliance is a network of national agricultural research centers (NARS), and private and public sector institutions that work to deliver better beans with consumer and market preferred traits to farmers. The datasets presented here draw from 17 Sub Saharan countries that are members of PABRA. The dataset on released bean varieties is a collection of 357 bean varieties released by NARS and there characteristics. The dataset on bean varieties and the relationship to constraints provides the 357 bean varieties on the basis of resistance to constraints such as fungal, bacterial, viral, diseases and tolerance to abiotic stresses. There is also a dataset of bean varieties that have been released in more than one country, useful for moving seed from one country to another and facilitating regional trade. The dataset on Niche market traits provides the market defined classifications for bean trade in Sub Saharan Africa as well as varieties that fall into these classifications. The datasets are an update to the 2011 discussion on PABRAs achievement in breeding and delivery of bean varieties in Buruchara et. 2011 in pages 236 and 237 here: http://www.ajol.info/index.php/acsj/article/view/74168 . It is also an update to a follow up to this discussion in Muthoni, R. A., Andrade, R. 2015 on the performance of bean improvement programmes in sub-Saharan Africa from the perspectives of varietal output and adoption in chapter 8. here: http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/9781780644011.0148. The data is extracted from the PABRA M&E database available here ( http://database.pabra-africa.org/?location=breeding)

Genomics, genetics and breeding of tropical legumes for better livelihoods of smallholder farmers

Legumes are important components of sustainable agricultural production, food, nutrition and income systems of developing countries. In spite of their importance, legume crop production is challenged by a number of biotic (diseases and pests) and abiotic stresses (heat, frost, drought and salinity), edaphic factors (associated with soil nutrient deficits) and policy issues (where less emphasis is put on legumes compared to priority starchy staples). Significant research and development work have been done in the past decade on important grain legumes through collaborative bilateral and multilateral projects as well as the CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes (CRP‐GL). Through these initiatives, genomic resources and genomic tools such as draft genome sequence, resequencing data, large‐scale genomewide markers, dense genetic maps, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and diagnostic markers have been developed for further use in multiple genetic and breeding applications. Also, these mega‐initiatives facilitated release of a number of new varieties and also dissemination of on‐the‐shelf varieties to the farmers. More efforts are needed to enhance genetic gains by reducing the time required in cultivar development through integration of genomics‐assisted breeding approaches and rapid generation advancement