Orientacion del mejoramiento de frijol en los climas calidos

The main priority of efforts in genetic improvement of beans is to increase the production in areas where it is currently cultivated. The environment in those areas has unfavorable climatic conditions for the crop and instead, favorable for the disease- insect complex attacking it. Through the collaboration of technicians in pathology, entomology and plant breeding, the material existing in CIATs germplasm bank was evaluated in a sequential order. A list is presented of the factors limiting productivity and production in warm climates such as BCMV, bacterioses, Empoasca, rust, BGMV, web blight, rots, excess or shortage of moisture, low fertility of the soil and the adaptation to high temp. A description is given on the characters desired for improvement, the dificulties for their attainment and the progress made up to 1979 on the obtainment of multiple resistance for warm climates. A frequency table is included on the characters selected from materials proceeding from the germplasm bank and hybrids, evaluated according to the different disciplines. (CIAT)