Genetic diversity and mineral composition of common bean seed

Concentrations of nine elements essential for human nutrition were studied in seed of eight dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L) cultivars grown at five fi eld locations. The cultivars (two Navy, one Great Northern, one Pinto, one Pink, one Cranberry and two Red Kidney) varied in seed weight from 167 to 5 60mg per seed. Seed Ca (r=-0.78, P<0.001), Mn (r=-0.67, P<0.001) and Mg (r= -0.45, P<0.001) were negatively related to seed weight. In contrast, seed P (r=0.44, P<0.001) increased with increasing seed weight. Concentrations of N, K, Fe, Zn and B were poorly related to seed weight but differed among c ultivars. The two Navy bean cultivars, Voyager and Norstar, differed in con centrations of seed Ca and Fe. Voyager seed contained a mean of 49% more Ca and 19% more Fe than Norstar seed. Voyager also contained a mean of 67% mo re Ca than that reported for Navy bean in the USDA Nutrient Database. Genet ic variability in bean seed may be utilised to increase the mineral content of common bean. (C) 2001 Society of Chemical Industry.