Is there hope for BNF in common beans?

Although since 1984 there are Rhizobium strains available for common bean inoculation in Brazil, a survey in 2014 showed that only 15% of the Brazilian farmers adopt inoculation as a routine practice. Part of this disbelief in relation to common beans inoculation can be attributed to the fact that supposedly, bean inoculation would not be able to support increased yield levels in high-tech farms, being appropriate only for small farms. A series of demonstration units carried out since 2012, under farm conditions in the Cerrado region, have showed that a 10.8% mean increase in yield were obtained only with inoculation in relation to the treatment without inoculation and without nitrogen fertilization (whose average yield was 3163 kg ha-1). It was also found that inoculation with supplementation of 60 kg ha-1 of N promoted yield levels (4010 kg ha-1) higher than those with 120 kg ha-1 N as urea (3411 kg ha-1).

Major loci controlling resistance to the angular leaf spot of common bean.

Based on the evidences presented in this paper, results from classical genetic studies, fine-mapping information and physical position analysis using the reference genome sequence of P. vulgaris, the BIC Genetic Committee has formally accepted the proposed new gene symbols.

Growth, nutrient accumulation in leaves and grain yield of super early genotypes of common bean.

There is a lack of researches that evaluate the development and nutrient accumulation in super early genotypes of common bean for the elaboration of fertilization programs. This study aimed at characterizing the development; N, P, K, Ca and Mg accumulation by leaves; grain yield; and yield components of super early genotypes of common bean. Field experiments were conducted in a randomized blocks design, with four replications. The treatments consisted of the IPR Colibri (control), CNFC 15873, CNFC 15874 and CNFC 15875 genotypes. Plants were sampled throughout the common bean development, being divided into leaves, stems and pods. After determining the dry matter, the contents of N, P, K, Ca and Mg accumulated in leaves were estimated. At harvesting, the grain yield and yield components were evaluated. The biomass accumulation in stems and leaves occurred until the flowering stage, and then it started in the pods until harvesting. The genotypes that absorbed more nitrogen and phosphorus had a higher grain yield. The average growing season of super early genotypes was 70 days (winter) and 63 days (summer). CNFC 15874 was the most productive genotype in the winter, with grain yield similar to the IPR Colibri cultivar (control). In the summer, CNFC 15873 and CNFC 15875 achieved grain yield similar to the IPR Colibri cultivar.