Mr. Escribano et al., PATTERNS OF GENETIC DIVERSITY IN LANDRACES OF COMMON BEAN (PHASEOLUS-VULGARIS L.) FROM GALICIA, Plant breeding, 117(1), 1998, pp. 49-56
Knowledge of patterns of genetic diversity among existing cultivars he
lps to broaden the genetic base of new cultivars and maximizes the use
of available germplasm resources. This study examined the organizatio
n of diversity for morphological traits in 66 landraces of cultivated
common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) from Galicia and its relationship wit
h phaseolin seed protein diversity. Data on growth habit, seed and pod
trails obtained from field evaluations at two locations during the 19
89-91 cropping seasons were subjected to multivariate statistical anal
ysis. Cluster analysis based on 14 quantitative variables and five qua
litative variables identified 11 groups. The landraces were also chara
cterized by phaseolin electrophoresis. The results allowed separation
of these landraces into Middle and Andean American groups, which could
be further divided into at least eight groups within the Andean Ameri
can cultivars and three within the Mesoamerican cultivars. These group
s in turn corresponded to the previously described races Nueva Granada
and Peru of South American origin, and races Durango, Jalisco and Mes
oamerica from the Middle American domestication centre. These results
confirm the existence of two major groups of germplasm in the cultivat
ed common bran landraces from Galicia, Mesoamerican vs. Andean America
n.