Conference Paper

Performance of elite bean germplasm in Southern African region in 1994-95

author(s)

Chirwa, Rowland

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Chirwa, Rowland; Aggarwal, V.D. 1995. Performance of elite bean germplasm in Southern African region in 1994-95. In: Fourie, Deidré; Liebenberg, A.J.; Klerk, Martienette de; Swart, Alta (eds.). SADC Regional Bean Workshop (4, 1995, Potchefstroom, South Africa). Proceedings. Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT), Network on Bean Research in Africa, Dar es Salaam, TZ. p. 96-104. (CIAT African workshop series no. 31)

Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are grown in several countries, representing different ecologies in the Southern African Region. Two regional trials, Southern African Regional Bean Evaluation Nursery (SARBEN) composed of germplasm lines and Southern African Regional Bean Yield Trial composed of finished varieties from different countries were circulated in the 1995-96 season to 8 countries in the region, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and South Africa. Results are reported from all countries except Tanzania, Mozambique and Swaziland where data had not been received. The analyses showed that the location differences were considerably significant (p less than 0.01) in both SARBEN and SARBYT, which implied that breeders have to select genotypes for different ecologies. The ranking of varieties in SARBEN was so variable from one location to the other suggesting that there is considerable genotype by environment interaction. This was confirmed by the significant genotype by enviroment interaction (p less than O.01) in SARBYT. Among the top fifteen yielding lines in SARBEN, were CAL 143 which does well in Malawi and A 197 which is to be released in Zambia. In SARBYT the top yielding variety was Nandi (small seeded, carioca type) which is released in South Africa. It ranked top, in six of ten locations. Amongst the large seeded types, CAL 143, A 197, DRK 57 and KID 31 were in the group of top five varieties.