Prospección y colecta de germoplasma silvestre de Phaseolus vulgaris en la zona central de Argentina

DREWES, S. I.

Plant Genetic Resources Newsletter

Paul Neate

Lugar: Roma; Año: 2008 vol. 155 p. 9 - 14

0048-4334

Prospection and collection of wild germplasm of Phaseolus vulgaris in the central region of ArgentinaThe American origin of common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L., has been recognized having P. vulgaris var. aborigineus (Burkart) Marechal et Baudet like a wild ancestor and considering that the domestication process took place as separate events in South and Middle America. Commercial cultivars have a narrow genetic base and the genetic variability present in the germplasm banks is limited, therefore, it would be of fundamental importance the rescue of wild materials, with the purpose of preserving the diversity. The nonexistence of material of the province of Córdoba (Argentina) in germplasm banks, motivated an intensive search in the mountains areas of the Departments: Ischilín, Cruz del Eje, Punilla, Totoral, Colón, Capital, Santa Maria, San Alberto and Calamuchita. The aims of this work were to contribute to the rescue and availability of wild germplasm and to locate P. vulgaris var. aborigineus populations. As resulting of the expeditions, two populations of wild bean, both in the Department of Punilla, were found. The sampling was made in micro sites to cover the local subpopulations and each collected plant was numbered; 122 accessions of wild Phaseolus germplasm were collected and 8 herbarium samples were made. The materials were characterized using seed descriptors. In the exploration area were not registered cultures of beans or other Phaseolus species. Due to the increase of the cattle, to the clearing and fires in the zone, these wild populations would be in extinction danger.