Dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is a sub-tropical crop severely affected by exposure to low temperatures during all of its growing stages. Cool spring temperatures and the risk of frost are major limiting factors for the early sowing of dry bean in Saskatchewan. Due to its economic importance; however, it has been introduced to Saskatchewan, but it needs to be made more cold tolerant to further expand acreage. The genes that can contribute some tolerance to low temperature stress in bean are not found within the primary gene pool, which limits the capability of breeders to generate a cultivar with such characteristics. Consequently studies have being done in order to find a possible source of genes that can induce tolerance to low temperature exposure. Phaseolus acutifolius is a relative of the domesticated dry bean and previous hybridizations with it have been successful. It is also known to be tolerant to abiotic stresses such as drought. For this reason the decision was taken to explore the level of resistance to low temperature stress exposure in several P. acutifolius accessions. Using whole plant freezing tests in controlled environment chambers, P. acutifolius W6 15578 was found to be more tolerant to exposure to sub-zero temperatures than were P. vulgaris genotypes. Interspecies hybrids were produced between P. vulgaris NY5-161 and W6 15578 and BC2 plants were produced using embryo rescue. The whole plant freezing test is a destructive method that cannot be used with unique F1 and BC2 genotypes, so an alternative methodology to evaluate the hybrids was explored. An electrolyte leakage test was used and showed similar results to the whole plant freezing test with the parent plant controls. The F1 hybrids had an intermediate tolerance to low temperature stress and the further generations (BC1 and BC2) had a better level of tolerance to this kind of stress than the cultivated parent (NY5-161). This suggests that the genes that confer tolerance to low temperature exposure are being maintained through several generations of backcrossing and that these interspecies hybrids may offer a chance for the development of improved dry bean cultivars for the Saskatchewan environment.

Dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is a sub-tropical crop severely affected by exposure to low temperatures during all of its growing stages. Cool spring temperatures and the risk of frost are major limiting factors for the early sowing of dry bean in Saskatchewan. Due to its economic importance; however, it has been introduced to Saskatchewan, but it needs to be made more cold tolerant to further expand acreage. The genes that can contribute some tolerance to low temperature stress in bean are not found within the primary gene pool, which limits the capability of breeders to generate a cultivar with such characteristics. Consequently studies have being done in order to find a possible source of genes that can induce tolerance to low temperature exposure. Phaseolus acutifolius is a relative of the domesticated dry bean and previous hybridizations with it have been successful. It is also known to be tolerant to abiotic stresses such as drought. For this reason the decision was taken to explore the level of resistance to low temperature stress exposure in several P. acutifolius accessions. Using whole plant freezing tests in controlled environment chambers, P. acutifolius W6 15578 was found to be more tolerant to exposure to sub-zero temperatures than were P. vulgaris genotypes. Interspecies hybrids were produced between P. vulgaris NY5-161 and W6 15578 and BC2 plants were produced using embryo rescue. The whole plant freezing test is a destructive method that cannot be used with unique F1 and BC2 genotypes, so an alternative methodology to evaluate the hybrids was explored. An electrolyte leakage test was used and showed similar results to the whole plant freezing test with the parent plant controls. The F1 hybrids had an intermediate tolerance to low temperature stress and the further generations (BC1 and BC2) had a better level of tolerance to this kind of stress than the cultivated parent (NY5-161). This suggests that the genes that confer tolerance to low temperature exposure are being maintained through several generations of backcrossing and that these interspecies hybrids may offer a chance for the development of improved dry bean cultivars for the Saskatchewan environment.

White mold (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Lib. de Bary) is one of the most important diseases of common bean in the U.S. with seed yield losses up to 100%. White mold resistance is hard to incorporate into breeding materials because of low heritability, cumbersome screening methods, and few sources of resistance. A Multi-parent Advanced Generation Inter-Crosses population was created to develop resistant germplasm and map the genetics factors controlling the resistance. A seedling straw test method was used to identify resistant lines. Twenty genotypes were found to be resistant based on its response when inoculated with isolate 1980 of white mold. GWAS using quantitative, polynomial and binomial phenotypic distribution data, identified 30 genomic regions associated with resistance on Pv01, Pv02, Pv04, Pv05, Pv07, Pv08, Pv10 and Pv11. Cumulative R2 values were 57% for binomial distribution using 13 genomic intervals, 41% for polynomial using 8 intervals, and 40% for quantitative using 11 intervals.

Thesis (M.Sc. Agriculture (Agronomy)) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / Low yields in dry bean are often reported to be associated with lack of inoculation of seeds prior to planting. This also results in little fixed nitrogen contributed by the crop. Soil phosphorus (P) is another important yield limiting factor in most of the dry bean producing regions. Two field experiments were conducted to investigate the response of dry bean cultivars to inoculation and phosphorus application under dryland farming conditions during 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 growing seasons at the Syferkuil farm of University of Limpopo. The experiments were carried out as a split split-plot arrangement in randomized complete block design with four replications. Main plot factor comprised two dry bean cultivars viz, red speckled bean and small white haricot. Rhizobium phaseoli inoculation levels (inoculated and uninoculated) were assigned in the sub-plot whilst the sub-sub plot was applied with three phosphorus rates at 0, 45 and 90 kg P kg/ha. Growth parameters, phenological characteristics and yield data were collected during the course of the experiments. The results of the two experiments showed that there was no interactive effect of treatments on growth and yield parameters. However, there was a significant interactive effect of cultivar and inoculation on phenological characteristics in both growing seasons. Main effects of cultivar and inoculation significantly affected most of the parameters measured. Inoculated red speckled bean produced tallest plants which reached 50% flowering and maturity earlier than the small white haricot variety. In both growing seasons grain yield was significantly different between the two cultivars (P ≤ 0.01). The red speckled bean produced higher grain yield of 1657 kg ha-1 and 2547 kg ha-1 in 2011/2012 and 2012/2013, respectively. In contrast, the small white haricot bean achieved grain yield of 1396 kg/ha and 1797 kg/ha in the respective seasons. Grain yield was significantly increased by approximately 16.15% and 27.50% with Rhizobium inoculation in the respective seasons. Phosphorus application at varying rates did not have a significant influence on all parameters measured the experiment in both 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 seasons.

Intensive agricultural systems have had several ecological effects on the surrounding ecosystem, including contributing to widespread pollinator declines. In order to help supplement bee communities and potentially improve crop production, we set out to study annual forb plantings adjacent to dry bean crops to determine the pollinator response to both plantings and any potential effects on dry bean yield. We found that annual forb plantings provided continual floral resources throughout the sampling period, which can support bees and their pollination services in agroecosystems. We also found cross-pollination had no effect on dry bean yield in Carrington and a negative effect in Hettinger, which could be due to methodological issues. While we did not observe a yield increase in dry bean production, the addition of annual forb plantings in agroecosystems could help support the local bee community, and potentially encourage pollination services in other crops that do benefit from insect pollination.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-29T15:16:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao de Mestrado Marilia.pdf: 852367 bytes, checksum: 8be87e653d87766bc06bb6d29f5cb94e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-11-26 / Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary is a necrotrophic fungal pathogen that causes the disease known as white mold in many plants. During infection, it secretes several endopolygalacturonases (PGs) to degrade cell wall pectin. To counteract the action of PGs, plants express polygalacturonases-inhibiting proteins (PGIPs) that reduce the hydrolytic activity of endo-PGs and favor the accumulation of oligogalacturonides (OGs) with are elicitors of a variety of defense responses. PGIPs belong to the superfamily of leucine rich repeat (LRR) proteins and play important roles in resistance to infection of pathogens. In this study, real time RT-PCR was used to evaluate the expression of Pvpgip genes in dry bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L) submitted to different stress conditions. Transcriptional analysis showed that these genes are differentially expressed and activated by biotic (S. sclerotiorum infection) and abiotic (wound or methyl jasmonate treatment) stresses. Pvpgip1 was induced at early stages of the infection especially for plants treated with methyl jasmonate (MeJA) in which the transcript accumulation was higher. High levels of Pvpgip2 and Pvpgip3 expression were observed in infect plants treated or not with MeJA. All treatments showed induction of gene Pvpgip4. These results show that the/ four genes Pvpgip respond differently to treatment with the resistance inducer, fungal infection and wound. / Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary é um fungo necrotrófico patogênico causador da doença conhecida como mofo branco em muitas plantas. Durante a infecção, secreta várias endopoligalacturonases (endo-PGs) que degradam a pectina da parede celular da planta hospedeira. Para contrapor à ação das PGs, as plantas produzem proteínas inibidoras de poligalacturonases (PGIPs) que reduzem a atividade hidrolítica das endo-PGs e favorecem o acúmulo de oligogalacturonídeos (OGs) que são indutores de uma variedade de respostas de defesa. As PGIPs pertencem à superfamília de proteínas ricas em repetições de leucina (LRR), e desempenham um papel importante na resistência à infecção de patógenos. Neste estudo, RT-PCR em tempo real foi usada para avaliar a expressão de genes Pvpgip em plantas de feijão comum (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) submetidas a diferentes condições de estresse. A análise transcricional mostrou que estes genes são ativados por fatores bióticos (infecção por S. sclerotiorum) e abióticos (injúria ou tratamento com metil jasmonato) e que existe uma variação em termos de expressão. Pvpgip1 foi induzido nos estágios iniciais da infecção, principalmente para as plantas tratadas com metil jasmonato (MeJA) em que o acúmulo deste transcritos foi maior. Altos níveis de expressão dos genes Pvpgip2 e Pvpgip3 foram observados nas plantas tratadas ou não com MeJA. Todos os tratamentos mostraram indução do gene Pvpgip4. Estes resultados mostraram que os quatro genes Pvpgip respondem diferentemente ao tratamento com indutor de resistência, infecção por fungo e injúria.