DROUGHT TOLERANCE TRAITS IN COMMON BEAN

Abstract

The development of drought-tolerant cultivars, with commercial quality and high genetic potential for increased productivity, are the main goals of the genetic breeding program of common bean. This project will be carried out in order to structure the IAC's genetic breeding program for developing drought-tolerant cultivars. The specific objectives will consider: analyze 132 F2 progenies from a diallel of 12 superior parents from the IAC's germplasm bank under water restriction; evaluate production traits associated to the physiological characters as an indirect selection goals; and perform generation advancement for obtaining drought-tolerant populations and lineages. In addition, it is expected to select lineages carrying resistance to anthracnose and fusarium wilt, two of the main bean crop diseases in Brazil; and grain traits, such as low cooking time and high protein content. The research results should improve the development of new products in the Brazilian common bean chain, increase the number of cultivars in MAPA (Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply), and offer new options of bean cultivars for the production sector.