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Dry bean improvement through tepary beans

albertapulse on May 31, 2017

Tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius) is being re-visited by several dry bean breeding programs as a source of tolerance to various biotic and abiotic stresses. It is already the source of tolerance to common bacterial blight used by all North American breeders. In the field last summer, we observed halo blight and bacterial brown spot tolerance in our interspecies hybrid offspring from crosses between susceptible common bean and tepary. We would like to propose a continuation of the tepary bean genetics project and expand it to include direct collaboration with colleagues in Colombia and Puerto Rico to assess stress tolerance in progeny from crosses between common and tepary bean. We will investigate chilling tolerance and disease resistance in Saskatoon and heat and drought tolerance in Puerto Rico and Colombia. We would use the genomic resources generated under IMAP to map the tepary genome as well as assess the level of introgression of tepary genome in the most promising interspecies hybrids.

Improving Sclerotinia disease control in edible beans and canola

albertapulse on May 31, 2017

Diseases caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum are an enormous production constraint to many crops across Alberta and the prairies. Recently two novel approaches to control of this disease have been identified and shown excellent promise in proof-of-concept trials. The results from this study will provide the evaluation needed for producers to utilize combinations of products already available that will give superior white mould control.

Solid seeded dry beans in Southern Alberta

albertapulse on May 31, 2017

The three major objectives of this project are to: 1) determine the optimum row spacing and seeding rate for one Pinto and one Great Northern bean genotype with the best agronomic characteristics; 2) determine optimum nutrient requirements using urea and ESN (polymer coated slow release urea) fertilizer types and rates, including in-crop N applications with one genotype, with and without inoculant; and 3) determine optimum application practices for solid-seeded beans for white mould control. This experiment will be carried out at three locations: Vauxhall, Taber and Bow Island over three growing seasons.

Dry Bean Improvement for Sustainable production in Canada

albertapulse on May 31, 2017

Sub-activity 1: Selection for dry bean canning quality

Acceptance of dry bean cultivars is dependent on both dry seed (seed size, shape, colour, colour retention and seed coat integrity) and processed seed (canning quality) traits. Percentage hard-to-cook seed, hydration coefficient after soaking and blanching, washed drain weight, texture, colour, clumping and appearance of seeds after canning are important traits to processors and consumers. A greater understanding of the above factors will enable: i) breeders to select genotypes with improved canning quality traits in a breeding program; ii) growers to choose cultivars with optimum quality for commercial production in their respective growing environments; and iii) processors to refine the canning protocol depending on the cultivar.

Sub-activity 2: Early maturing lines with improved disease resistance

Dry bean cultivars of six (pinto, Great Northern, yellow, black, red and pink) bean market classes are grown in rotation with cereal, oilseed, potato, sugar beet and forage crops primarily under irrigation. The days to maturity of dry bean cultivars range from 100 to 105 days in Alberta which has a short growing season on the prairies. A major impediment to dry bean production is the lack of early maturing dry bean cultivars with adequate level of resistance to the most prevalent diseases including white mould and common bacterial blight. Development of disease resistant cultivars is one of the most effective and environmentally sustainable methods for reducing yield losses and promoting stable crop production.

Sub-activity 3: Micro-climate management for white mould disease control

Sclerotia of S. sclerotiorum can only produce apothecia in the top 4 cm of the soil. Factors affecting sclerotia germination under lab conditions have been extrapolated to understand sclerotial germination behaviour as it relates to microclimate variables, disease development and yield potential under field conditions. Based on these studies, allowing the top 4 cm of the soil to dry should negatively affect ascospore production and subsequent initiation of disease onset. However, the effect of microclimate and fluctuating wet and dry periods on ascospore release and white mould development have rarely been investigated under field conditions. The proposed research would aim to determine whether microclimate management, provided by changes in irrigation scheduling and dry bean canopy architecture, could decrease the rate of ascospore release during the susceptible flowering period, without negatively affecting bean yield. As a result, disease management of white mould of dry bean will be enhanced by de-synchronizing time of spore release with crop susceptible period through modification of plant architecture and irrigation.

Sub-activity 4: Improved nutritional values of dry bean to promote its utilization in health foods

The nutritional value of dry bean has not been fully explored and utilized. Dry bean produced in Canada is primarily exported as a raw commodity. Although dry bean has been identified as a health food with low glycemic index (GI) for decades, the information on its resistant starch and dietary fibres is limited. This Activity will conduct a comprehensive study to evaluate contents and variations of resistant starch and dietary fibre in dry bean germplasm and cultivars, identify APG Research Investment: Production Projects 25 Summer 2015 novel dry bean lines with high levels of resistant starch and dietary fibres, and further improve nutritional value of dry bean by promoting its utilizations in health foods. This study will be the first to systematically investigate and characterize resistant starch and dietary fibres in dry bean germplasm and cultivars of diverse market classes. The results of the proposed study will enhance commercial value of dry bean produced in Canada and create new processing opportunities for use in health food.

Alberta Regional Variety Testing

albertapulse on May 31, 2017

The Alberta Pulse Growers sponsor the evaluation of recently registered varieties of peas, lentils, chickpeas, and dry beans. Sites are located throughout the province to provide regional data to assist with your varietal selections in future years.

To identify dry bean germplasm and cultivars with high resistant starch and/or dietary fibre, and to improve nutritional value of dry bean cultivars by pyramiding resistant starch and dietary fibre

albertapulse on May 31, 2017

The nutritional value of dry bean has not been fully explored and utilized. Dry bean produced in Canada is primarily exported as a raw commodity. Although dry bean has been identified as a health food with low glycemic index (GI) for decades, the information on its resistant starch and dietary fibres is limited. It will be important and necessary to understand the knowledge gaps that prevent the full utilization of this nutritional powerhouse. This Activity will conduct a comprehensive study to evaluate contents and variations of resistant starch and dietary fibre in dry bean germplasm and cultivars, identify novel dry bean lines with high levels of resistant starch and dietary fibres, and further improve nutritional value of dry bean by promoting its utilizations in health foods. This study will be the first to systematically investigate and characterize resistant starch and dietary fibres in dry bean germplasm and cultivars of diverse market classes. The results of the proposed study will enhance commercial value of dry bean produced in Canada and create new processing opportunities for use in health food.