Evaluation of runner bean germplasm for virus resistance

• Published in: Phytopathology Vol. 100; no. 6; p. S99
• Main Authors: Pena-Reyes, E, Bascur, G, Mendoza, P, Sepulveda, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.06.2010
• Subjects: Alfalfa mosaic virus; Bean common mosaic necrosis virus; Bean common mosaic virus; Bean yellow mosaic virus; Cucumber mosaic virus; Cytomegalovirus; Phaseolus coccineus; Phaseolus vulgaris
• ISSN: 0031-949X

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is one of the most important grain legumes and the leading source of low cost quality proteins. For several years INIA has developed a bean-breading program whose main objectives are to breed cultivars with special plant habits such as high yields, adaptability to mechanical harvesting and resistance to viral diseases, which are a limiting factor for bean production in Chile. Considering that the most effective way to control viral diseases is the use of resistant material, the main objective of this work was to search for sources of resistance against the most important viral agents affecting this crop in Chile: Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV), Bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV), Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) and Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). Sixteen accessions of runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus L.) were mechanically and naturally infected with each one of the four viruses under study. The plants were regularly evaluated for viral infection by using diagnostic techniques specifically developed for the identification of the pathogens, such as RT-PCR and immunotissue blot. The results indicated that only two accessions were immune to all viruses studied, and 10 of them show resistance to the new and emerging viral complex affecting bean production, which is caused by CMV and AMV. Additionally, we are at this time confirming the first identification of Bean common mosaic necrosis virus (BCMNV) in bean fields located at INIA Research Station.