Agriculture is highly exposed to climate warming, and promoting traditional cultivars constitutes an adaptive farming mechanism from climate change impacts. This study compared seed traits and adaptability in the germinative process, through temperature and drought response, between a commercial cultivar and Mediterranean Phaseolus lunatus L. landraces. Genetic and phylogenetic analyses were conducted to characterize local cultivars. Optimal germination temperature, and water stress tolerance, with increasing polyethylene glycol (PEG) concentrations, were initially evaluated. Base temperature, thermal time, base potential and hydrotime were calculated to compare the thermal and hydric responses and competitiveness among cultivars. Eight molecular markers were analyzed to calculate polymorphism and divergence parameters, of which three, together with South American species accessions, were used to construct a Bayesian phylogeny. No major differences were found in seed traits, rather different bicolored patterns. A preference for high temperatures and fast germination were observed. The ‘Pintat’ landrace showed marked competitiveness compared to the commercial cultivar when faced with temperature and drought tolerance. No genetic differences were found among the Valencian landraces and the phylogeny confirmed their Andean origin. Promoting landraces for their greater resilience is a tool to help overcome the worldwide challenge deriving from climate change and loss of agrobiodiversity.

Iberian gypsum outcrops are highly fragmented and ecologically challenging environments for plant colonization. As gypsophytes occur exclusively in s

Agrobiodiversity and adaptability to environmental changes derived from global warming are challenges for the future of agriculture. In this sense, landraces often have high levels of genetic variation, tightly connected with the changing environmental conditions of a territory. The genus Phaseolus, with five domesticated species, is one of the most important sources of proteins, carbohydrates and micronutrients in various countries. This study aimed to compare the adaptation capacity to drought, in the vegetative growth phase, of a commercial cultivar and two landraces traditionally cultivated in the Mediterranean basin of Phaseolus lunatus (Lima bean). Growth and biochemical responses of the analysed genotypes to different water-deficit treatments were evaluated and compared. In addition, the effectiveness of the voltammetric method for evaluating stress levels in cultivated plants was tested. The studied parameters revealed that P. lunatus is a drought-tolerant species, showing similar results for the three cultivars. However, contrary to what was expected from the germination phase results, the commercial variety Peru showed some better responses under water stress conditions. Finally, the voltammetric method proved to be a good and fast tool for assessing oxidative stress in cultivated plants, showing results in agreement with total phenolic compounds and total flavonoid fluctuations.