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Three new bean varieties for Western Canada recommended for registration

Date posted: March 7, 2003

Prairie pulse growers could soon have their pick of three new bean varieties, say scientists with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lethbridge Research Centre (LRC). The Prairie Registration Recommending Committee for Grain (PRRCG) supported registration of the varieties at its recent meeting in Edmonton.

Bred for Prairie conditions, the new varieties are good choices for Western Canada’s expanding pulse crop acreage. “The new bean varieties have a range of improved disease resistance and agronomic traits,” says bean breeder Dr. Hans-Henning Mündel of LRC. Pedigreed seed is readily available for two common beans, one pink and one black. For the third, a small white navy-type bean, seed stock is being further increased this year, allowing for pedigreed seed production in 2004.

Plant breeders can submit requests for registration support to PRRCG once a crop line has undergone official co-op testing. The PRRCG is sanctioned by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to evaluate the co-op testing data. Based on agronomic, disease resistance and/or quality traits, the PRRCG’s subcommittees support or oppose registration of new crop varieties.

“The new bean varieties each exhibit different trait improvements, providing growers with many options,” says Mündel. “Adapted to the Prairies and beyond, the new pink common bean (experimental line L94C356) is very early maturing and quite upright in growth. It was tested across the prairies and in narrow-row co-op tests in Manitoba over the past two years averaged nineteen days earlier maturity than the check variety, Viva.”

Yields were also higher than the check, and seeds were larger. “While the pink common bean is as susceptible to bacterial blight, rust and anthracnose as is Viva, it is resistant to both the yellow and orange strains of the new potential disease threat of bacterial wilt,” concludes Mündel.

An upright black common bean (experimental line L95F025) with the advantage of early seed colouring in fall was developed for Manitoba narrow-row production. “Early seed colouring reduces the risk of quality deterioration from early frosts,” explains Mündel. Interestingly, the pods complement the bean colour, turning distinctively purple to almost black at maturity.

The black bean also has greatly improved white-mold resistance compared to check varieties, such as AC Harblack and AC Black Diamond, says Mündel. Over 500 kilograms of breeder seed has been produced.

“Our new navy bean (experimental line L94A001) is a small white dry bean resulting from crosses and back-crosses between four varieties, one of which was a kidney bean,” says Mündel. The result is an early maturing, upright bean with good white-mold and anthracnose resistance. It is adapted to Manitoba narrow-row production, and has yields similar to Envoy, which was used as a check, but the new bean is a little more susceptible to rust.

“This bean is not yet available to certified seed growers,” says Mündel. “Micro-nutrient deficiency in the progeny plots caused low initial breeder seed production but further seed increase this summer will hopefully make pedigreed seed available for 2004.”

“Pulse crops are on the rise in Western Canada,” he says, “Pulses were a niche for adventurous farmers not long ago, but today they are increasingly grown at the expense of cereals.” The three new bean varieties adapted to the cold weather and short growing season of the Prairies will help to further boost the popularity of this diverse crop.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lethbridge Research Centre has a mandate to promote innovation for growth, maintain security of the food system and protect the health of the environment.