Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Legume Systems Research

Project Title: Selection and Release of Climate Resilient Common Bean Germplasm for the Highlands and Dry Corridor of Central America

PI, Co-PI(s) names, titles, departments, institutions, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers

• Angela Miranda, Lead ICTA Bean Breeding Program, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Agrícolas (ICTA, Guatemala); ICTA-Central Barcena, Villa Nueva, Guatemala, PBX: 66701500; amiranda@icta.gob.gt
• Phillip McClean, Professor, Department of Plant Sciences, Waldron Hall, Fargo, North Dakota State University, ND 58108; 1-701-231-8443; phillip.mcclean@ndsu.edu
• Juan Osorno, Associate Professor, Department of Plant Sciences, Waldron Hall, Fargo, North Dakota State University, ND 58108; 1-701-231-8145; osorno@ndsu.edu

Research themes (keywords)

Dry bean; variety release; bolonillo, climate resilient; Western Highlands; Dry Corridor

Research country (where the research will be conducted)

Guatemala

Departments

San Marcos, Huehuetenango, Chimaltenango, Baja Verapaz, Zacapa, Chiquimula, Escuintia, Sana Rosa, Jutiapa

Project length (months, maximum 47)

18 months (including six-month extension)

Total Project Budget (in U.S. dollars)

$52,000

Executive Summary

This activity related to area of Inquiry #1) Integration of legumes into sustainable smallholder farming systems and agricultural landscapes with a specific emphasis on ensuring crop improvement efforts are guided by relevant product profiles (varieties with high yield and adaptation to the different crop systems).  

The stated objectives and rationale of this quick start activity were to: 

1. Release the Bolonillo-type climbing bean variety ICTA-Quiché for the highlands of Guatemala. 
   • ICTA-Quiche is climate resilient, Bolonillio variety.  Bolonillo beans serve are a cash crop for the bean/corn milpa intercropping system managed by small holder farmers in the highlands. 
2. Release the bush type variety ICTA-Patriarca adapted to the Dry Corridor and lowlands of Guatemala. 
   • ITCA-Patriarca is a climate resilient black bean with the preferred bush growth habit adapted to the monoculture system of the dry corridor of Guatemala and Honduras, and tolerant to Bean Golden Yellow Mosaic Virus, one of the main regional production constraints.  
3. Continued field testing/selection of four advanced bruchid-resistant black bean breeding lines on 1.0 hectare (0.25 hectare each) and lab screening of the lines.
   • Bruchid storage problems are a major factor in post-harvest handing of beans and resistance in the program does not exist.

Major Accomplishments

1. ICTA Patriarca

• 38 Yield Trials of ICTA Patriarca in eight departments
• Each trial was in the targeted dry corridor region of Guatemala
• ICTA Patriarca out-performed locale checks by 43.8%
• Increase of ICTA Patriarca at San Geronimo; yield = ~3,000 lbs of seed
• Release of ICTA Patriarca at San Geronimo
• 250 five-pound bags were distributed at release event
• Remaining seed distribution

2. ICTA Quiche

• ICTA Quiche top performer (yield, days to flower, pod distribution)
• Trials performed at mid-elevation (1350-1800 m), the targeted mountain eleveation
• ICTA Quiche rogued for off pod color types

• Proper pod color types increased

3. Bruchid resistant materials evaluated

• Three bruchid resistant advanced breeding identified and undergoing increase

Project Partners

• Angela Miranda, ICTA, Guatemala 
• Phillip McClean, North Dakota State University
• Juan Osorno, North Dakota State University

Project Goals and Objectives

The stated objectives of this quick start activity were to: 

1. Release the Bolonillo-type climbing bean variety ICTA-Quiché for the highlands of Guatemala. 
2. Release the bush type variety ICTA-Patriarca adapted to the Dry Corridor and lowlands of Guatemala. 
3. Continued field testing/selection of four advanced bruchid-resistant black bean breeding lines on 1.0 hectare (0.25 hectare each) and lab screening of the lines.  

Overview of Activities

This project was a short continuation of a USAID Legume Innovation Lab project that focused on the expansion of the ICTA bean breeding program.  The advanced generation lines that led to the two varieties were developed during that project and were released during this project.  Similarly, the crosses that were the progenitors of the advanced bruchid lines identified in this project were initiated during that previous project.

Objective 1: ICTA Quiche

Evaluation and Seed increase: ICTA Quiche, was the top performing (yield, days to flower, pod distribution) variety over 60 grower field trials grown in the mid-elevation region of the Western Highlands of Guatemala.  Based on these results, ICTA Quiche seed was increased in San Jerónimo.  A total of 1,000 pounds of ICTA Quiché was harvested.

Rogueing of ICTA Quiche: It was observed during seed increase that the line was segregating to a small degree for pod color and seed size.  ICTA decided that further purification was necessary before the variety can be released.  At that time selection for a stable purple pod color and larger seed size was initiated.  The first round of purification efforts was completed.  Subsequently (after the project terminated), a second rogueing cycle was initiated.  It is important that the purification was performed otherwise the variety would not be acceptable to the target adopters.

Objective 2: ICTA Patriarca

Seed increase: The increase of ICTA Patriarca seed was made in San Jerónimo, A total of 2,500 pounds of ICTA Patriarca were harvested.  The seed was processed at the ICTA Seed Plant in Guatemala City and packaged into five-pound bags for distribution.

Promotional Materials: Pamphlets to accompany the release of ICTA Patriarca were designed and printed.  The pamphlets contain agronomic information of the varieties, as well as the recommended crop management practices for the variety, and photographs of the plant and seed.

Release Event:  The release event of the ICTA Patriarca varieties was held in early September 2019 at the ICTA Experimental Center in San Geronimo.  This center is located in the “Dry Corridor” region of Guatemala, the target region for which the variety was bred.  A total of 250 five-pound bags of seed were distributed to attendees.  Over subsequent months, seed was distributed individual to growers on demand.  These distributions continued after the project funded ended.  All of the seed has now been distribution, except for seed that was set aside for further increase.

Objective 3: Selection of Advanced Bruchid Resistant Lines

Adaptation and Yield Trials:  A total of 23 advanced lines with previously determined high levels of bruchid resistant damage were field tested along with two checks (ICTA Ligero and ICTA Chortí).  These trials were performed at ICTA Experimental Centers in San Jerónimo, Jalapa, Quetzaltenango, Chimaltenango, and Bárcena.  The locations were selected to test location adaption to the dry corridor.  Data for the following traits were collected and used for selection: days to flowering, growth at the V4 stage plant architecture, general disease resistance, crop cycle, yield, seed size, and 100-seed weight. 

Bruchid resistance:  After the trials were harvested, the lines were evaluated for bruchid resistance.  This was a randomized, complete block design.  Seed (n=20) from each line collected at each location were infested with Zabrotes (a bruchid found in the lowlands) in crystal bottles.  After the project ended, the lines were also tested with Acanthoscelides (a bruchid found in the highlands).  Damage data was collected after 60 days.

Outcome:  Three advanced lines were selected for advanced generation trials that have continued since the termination of this project.

Accomplishments

Objective 1: ICTA Quiche was confirmed as the top yield line with essential agronomic traits in the Western Highlands of Guatemala.  A low percentage of segregation for pod color and seed size were observed in the line.  Careful selection of lines within the segregating ICTA Quiche advanced line has progressed two a high-yielding line with stable pod color and seed size.

Objective 2: A total of 2,500 pounds of ICTA Patriarca was developed.  Except for seeds set aside for future increase, all of the seed was released as five-pound bags to growers in the Dry Corridor of Guatemala.

Objective 3: Three advanced lines with acceptable agronomic traits and high levels of Zabrotes bruchid resistance were identified.  These lines are now being increased and tested broadly in the ICTA bean breeding program.

Utilization of Research Outputs

1. ICTA Patriarca is now an established variety in the Dry Corridor of Guatemala.  It has now been increased and ~2000 pounds were sold to a large grower.
2. ICTA Quiche is nearly purification and continues to be the top performer in the mid-elevation region of the Western Highlands of Guatemala.  ICTA is still planning on releasing it as a new variety.
3. Three bruchid resistant lines are now available as releases and parents for further crosses in the ICTA bean breeding program.  They can be tested in advanced yield trials to find the location where they are the top performers.

Further Challenges and Opportunities

1. Stable funding for the bean program:  Strategies need to be developed to ensure the financial stability of the major bean breeding program in Guatemala.  Specific strategies included an annual funding allotment versus a return of a percentage of sales to breeding program were discussed.
2. Alternative genetic resources for the bean program:  ICTA should develop recombinant inbred populations for mapping purposes.  The parents for these populations should be diverse, yet contain modern alleles.  The populations can be used for genetic studies to develop molecular marker tools for Guatemala specific traits.  These populations can also be selected for advanced lines with promising agronomic performance that can undergo multi-location field trails for selection as possible new varieties for release.
3. Bush bean breeding:  ICTA has developed a Bush Bean Diversity Panel (BBDP).  The BBDP will be an important genetic resource since the demand for bush beans is increasing.  The panel is currently being screened for anthracnose resistance.  Crosses from these lines will introduce new variability into the program.  Since the bush growth habit is a recessive trait, and markers are available to select against the trait, it will be easy to identify indeterminate growth habit (preferred habit for highlands) lines.