Seed compositional and disease resistance differences among gene pools in cultivated common bean

It is widely accepted that two major gene pools exist in cultivated common bean, one Middle American and one Andean. Recently another gene pool, designated as North Andean and a fourth group (not considered to be a distinct gene pool) have been reported by the senior author and his colleagues. Many of the agronomic and seed compositional attributes of the two major gene pools are well known, but the seed compositional value and disease resistance of the North Andean gene pool has not yet been characterized. To rectify this situation, the seed compositional characters, percentage of protein concentrations (phaseolin, lectin and alpha-amylase inhibitor), the nutrient elements (calcium, phosphorus, iron and zinc) and the disease and pest attributes (angular leaf spot, anthracnose, common bacterial blight and empoasca damage) were considered. The Middle American gene pool gave higher lectin, calcium, phosphorus, sulfur and zinc than the Andean gene pool but lower phaseolin and iron. The North Andean gene pool is more like the Andean gene pool for phaseolin, resistance to angular leaf spot and anthracnose from Andean pathogen isolates, but more like the Middle American gene pool for lectin, zinc, sulfur and resistance to anthracnose from Middle American pathogen isolates. On the other hand, it had the highest iron concentration and was more resistant to common bacterial blight. These results indicate the potential value of this gene pool in a common bean breeding program.