Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is one of the most important legumes for human consumption and is a staple food in the diet of the population of some countries of Latin America, Africa and Asia. The distinction between cultivars is based predominantly on morphological descriptors, which proved inefficient for the differentiation of some cultivars. This study had the objective of describing, distinguishing and evaluating the agronomic potential of 39 common bean cultivars of the carioca and black grain groups registered for cultivation in Brazil, based on 49 morphoagronomic descriptors and microsatellite (simple sequence repeat -SSR) markers. The morphoagronomic traits of each commercial group were characterized in four environments. Thirty-seven SSR markers were used for the molecular description. The morphological data, analyzed by the Shanonon-Weaver index, detected low variability among cultivars for qualitative data. On the other hand, the estimates of variance analysis, relative importance of the traits and hierarchical grouping analysis applied to the quantitative variables showed that the descriptors related to plant morphology were the most important for the carioca group, and those related to seed morphology were determining for the black group. The genetic parameters estimated for SSR markers by hierarchical and Bayesian cluster analysis identified 116 alleles, with 33 and 30 polymorphic loci and 24 and 22 private alleles for the carioca and black groups, respectively. The combined use of morphoagronomic and molecular descriptors improves the distinguishability of cultivars, contributing in a more efficient way to breeding and to the protection of cultivars.

RESUMO O déficit hídrico durante o desenvolvimento do amendoinzeiro prejudica vários processos fisiológicos da planta e reduz sua produtividade. Este estudo objetivou avaliar o rendimento de grãos, componentes de produção e crescimento de cultivares e linhagens de amendoim submetidas a déficit hídrico, em condições de campo. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso, com parcelas subdivididas e três repetições. Os tratamentos de déficit hídrico (com e sem) constituíram as parcelas e os genótipos avaliados (IAC Tatu ST, BR1, BRS Havana, Col 72 e Col 82) as subparcelas. A irrigação foi suspensa nas parcelas submetidas à deficiência hídrica entre 35 e 75 dias após a emergência. O crescimento das plantas, massa seca da parte aérea e área foliar foram afetados negativamente pelo déficit hídrico. Verificou-se incremento da diferença entre as parcelas com e sem deficiência hídrica, conforme o aumento do período de supressão de água. A cultivar BRS Havana e a linhagem Col 82 apresentaram tolerância moderada à seca, com os maiores rendimentos de grãos em condição de déficit hídrico. O déficit hídrico foi responsável por redução de 68 % no rendimento de grãos na cultivar IAC Tatu ST, 44 % no número de vagens por planta na linhagem Col 82, 11 % no número de sementes por vagem na linhagem Col 72 e 11 % na massa de 100 sementes na cultivar BRS1.

The plant breeding program at IAPAR started in 1972, soon after its foundation, and has as main objective the development of superior cultivars with high yield potential, genetic resistance to major biotic and abiotic adverse factors and good nutritional and technological quality. Over these forty years, IAPAR has made available to farmers 184 cultivars of different species, resulting in an increase in the productivity, greater availability of food, decrease in environmental impacts, addition of value to agricultural properties and life improvement of farmers and consumers. Thus, the institution fulfills its mission of generating technology, contributing to the development of agriculture in Paraná and in other parts of Brazil, since many of the cultivars developed are used in different regions of the country.

The soils in the common bean-producing regions (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) of Brazil are usually acid and conta\y66\yin toxic levels of aluminum (Al) for plants. This ion causes yield losses by inhibiting root cell expansion, thus reducing water and nutrient uptake. This study investigates the optimal Al concentration for the screening of genotypes in hydroponics cultivation and tries to identify cultivars and lines for cultivation in Al-toxic soils. The study consisted of two series of experiments. In the first one, four cultivars were evaluated at five Al concentrations (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 ppm) and in the second, four independent tests were carried out (1-carioca, 2-black, 3-red, and 4-white), each with seven genotypes and two Al concentrations (0 and 4 ppm). The optimized concentration of Al in the first stage was 4 ppm, which allowed the early identification of genotypes with less affected development under Al toxicity in the second stage. The common bean cultivars IPR Quero-Quero (carioca group), BRS Esplendor (black group), KID 44 (red group), and WLine 5 (white group) may be indicated for cultivation under Al toxicity.

This work investigated the genetic control of seed morphological traits and its correlations with grain yield in common bean. Three crossings among bean cultivars with different growth habit and seed characteristics were analyzed. F1 progenies gave origin to F2, RC1P1F1 and RC1P2F1 generations. Random samples of seeds from F2 generations and parents, F1 and backcrossings were sown during the season 2003/2004. Plant grain yield and seed morphological traits were determined by a sample of 150 plants from F2 generations and 20 plants from parents, F1 and backcrosssings. Genetic effects involved in each crossing were obtained from estimates of genetic components means and genetic and environmental components of phenotypical variance. Results showed that the seed morphological traits were controlled by a complex of genes, with additive effects predominance although dominance effects were present. High and negative correlations among seed length and thickness with grain yield suggested greater grain yield in bean plants with smaller seeds.

One of the significant challenges of common bean breeding is developing cultivars with high yields under drought conditions. The present study attempted to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and identify molecular markers that are linked to drought tolerance in the common bean. We evaluated 160 recombinant inbred lines (RILs), derived from the cross between the carioca cultivars IAPAR 81 (drought tolerant) and LP97-28 (susceptible to drought). In 2014 and 2015, two experiments were conducted (DS—drought stress, and NS—no drought stress). In the DS experiment, water suppression was performed at the flowering stages R5 to R6. The results of our experiments showed that drought conditions play an essential role in reducing most of the traits that were evaluated. RILs under drought conditions reduced the grain yield by 62.03% and 24% in 2014 and 2015, respectively. We identified 15 quantitative trait loci distributed on the chromosomes Pv01, Pv02, Pv03, Pv07, Pv08, Pv09, Pv10, and Pv11, related to grain yield, seed yield per day, 100-seed weight, number of pods per plant, plant height, number of days for flowering, and number of days to maturity. The characteristics of seed yield per day, 100-seed weight, and number of days to maturity showed that QTLs colocalized on Pv07. Identifying QTLs that are linked to drought tolerance in the RIL population IAPAR 81 × LP97-28 is of particular importance for common bean breeding programs seeking to improve carioca beans that are cultivated in regions with drought conditions, such as Brazil.