bean on its introduction from South America, include cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz subsp. esculenta), Little information is available regarding the relationship of Caribpineapple [Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.], and peanuts bean bean landraces with the Andean and Mesoamerican gene pools of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) While small-seeded Meso-(Arachis hypogaea L.) (Rouse, 1992). Historical referamerican black beans are prevalent in parts of the Caribbean, many ences show that beans were well distributed in the Caribof the regionally preferred red mottled and medium-to-large-seeded bean dating from the voyages of Christopher Columbus bean landraces found there are postulated to belong to the Andean in 1493, who observed fields of "beans," unlike those gene pool. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the morphological produced in Spain, planted on the northern coast of Cuba characteristics, phenological traits, phaseolin status, and random am-(Castiñ eiras et al., 1991) and later those of Oviedo and plified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) banding patterns of 54 red mottled Valdé s who in 1535 noted that Native Americans proor large-seeded bean landraces and cultivars from the Caribbean (16 duced beans in Hispanola (Gepts and Debouck, 1991). from the Dominican Republic, 14 from Haiti, 1 from Jamaica and 23 Common beans are believed to have been domestifrom Puerto Rico) compared with 11 Andean bean lines from other cated in two centers of origin, one in Middle-America regions. To estimate phylogenetic relationships among the lines, distances were calculated and dendrograms constructed for morphologi-and one in South America giving rise to two separate cal and/or phenological and molecular characteristics by the complete gene pools, the Mesoamerican and the Andean, that clustering method. The landraces were grouped into two clusters morare distinguished at the morphological, physiological, phologically: one with Mesoamerican characteristics, which included and molecular levels (including phaseolin seed protein, all the red mottled lines from Haiti and three landraces from the isozyme, and DNA polymorphisms) (Gepts et al., 1986; Dominican Republic collected near the Haitian border and the other

This study evaluated Haitian consumers' preferences for three attributes of roasted peanuts: form (dry-roasted vs. honey-roasted), country of origin (Haiti vs. USA) and price (lowest vs. most common vs. highest). A sample of 199 respondents from three locations near Port-au-Prince revealed that price was overwhelmingly the most important attribute, although three well-differentiated consumer segments were identified: the largest (44% of the sample) based strictly on price; a second (29%) distinguished by preference for honey-roasted peanuts of Haitian origin; and a third (27%) preferring dry-roasted peanuts imported from the USA. Segment membership was predicted by gender, education, household size, survey location and whether or not respondents were themselves the purchasers of the peanuts and peanut butter they consumed. Market simulation of a proposed, new domestic product (honey-roasted peanuts from Haiti) revealed that a price near that of the currently imported product would maximize domestic revenues at about 15% above the current base.

Bean golden yellow mosaic virus (BGYMV), Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) and Bean common mosaic necrosis virus (BCMNV) are important diseases of dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Central America and the Caribbean. The development of dry bean cultivars with enhanced levels of resistance to these and other diseases is an important goal of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) and other dry bean breeding programs in the Caribbean. PR0633‐10 (Reg. No. GP‐290, PI 668535) and PR0737‐1 (Reg. No. GP‐291, PI 668536) are multiple virus resistant bean germplasm lines adapted to the humid tropics that were developed and released cooperatively in 2013 by the UPR Agricultural Experiment Station, the USDA–ARS, the Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development of the Republic of Haiti. Both lines have a red mottled seed type. PR0633‐10 possesses the I and bc‐3 loci that confer durable resistance to BCMV and BCMNV, whereas PR0737‐1 only has the bc‐3 locus that confers resistance to BCMV and BCMNV. Both lines have the bgm‐1 gene for resistance to BGYMV, whereas PR0633‐10 also has the SW12 quantitative trait locus associated with resistance to this virus. PR0633‐10 and PR0737‐1 produced mean seed yields as great or greater than check cultivars ‘PC‐50’ and ‘JB‐178’ in trials conducted in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti. Both lines should serve as useful sources of resistance to BGYMV, BCMV, and BCMNV.

Small-scale food processors in Haiti manufacture peanut butter-type products, locally called mambas. Mambas are prepared from ground, roasted peanuts, and maybe flavored with sugar or pimiento peppers, but contain no stabilizers. This study compared acceptability by Haitian consumers and some physicochemical properties of mambas and U.S. peanut butter. Three types of mambas-Plain (no sugar or salt added), Sucre (with sugar and salt), and Pimente (with crushed pimiento peppers and salt)-and U.S. Crystal" smooth peanut butterwere evaluated by 199panelists ranging in age from 14 to 77 yr, and from three urban districts in Haiti. A randomized complete block design was used for the study. Samples in souffle cups were labeled with three-digit random codes. Panelists indicated their feelings about intensity levels of color, oily appearance, peanut flavor, sweetness, spiciness, and smooth mouth feel ofthe samples on five-pointJust-About-Right scales.Color of the U.S. peanut butter (U.S., hO = 73.1 ± 0.70, L value =58.9 ± 0.60) and mamba sucre (MS, hO = 74.0 ± 0.72, Lvalue = 57.6± 0.74) was considered Just-Right (JR) by 67 and 57% of panelists, respectively, but the mamba pimente (MP, h = 78.0± 1.27, Lvalue = 60.4± 2.21)wastoo pale (63%).Oilyappearance of allproducts was acceptable to 51-59% of the participants. The peanut flavor of U.S., MS, and MP was JR for 77, 80, and 74% of panelists, respectively, whereas it was too low in the plain mamba (M) for 41% of the panelists. Sixty-six and 67%, respectively, of panelists liked the sweetness of U.S. and MS, but M and MPwere not sweet enough for 72and 68%, respectively, ofthe panelists. Products U.S., MS, M, and MP contained 9.4 ± 0.29,11.6 ± 0.30, 4.7 ± 0.08, and 3.7 ± 0.34% sugar, respectively. Fifty-five percent of panelists indicated that the spiciness of MP was JR, whereas 82-92% felt that the other products were not spicy enough. Panelists (63-75%) felt that the products had an acceptable mouth feel, but MS and MP were liked the most (75%). Results indicate that Haitian consumers prefer mambas that have sweet and pimiento flavors to unflavored products.

A honey‐roasted peanut product, flavoured with ginger and anise, was recently developed in Haiti in an effort to increase the consumption of locally grown peanuts. The objective of this study was to compare quality and consumer acceptability of the Haiti product with a traditional US‐manufactured brand. Haitian panellists (199) evaluated colour, appearance (dry/oily), crunchiness, peanut flavour and sweetness of the products using five‐point just‐about‐right scales. Colour (Minolta chromameter), hardness (TA.XT2i texture analyser fitted with a TA42 knife blade) and moisture (Denver IR‐30 moisture analyser), lipid (ethyl ether extraction) and sugar (Dionex DX‐500 high pressure liquid chromatography system) contents of the products were also determined. The Haiti product was significantly (P < 0.05) darker brown, harder and contained more (P < 0.05) sucrose and glucose but less (P < 0.05) lipid and fructose than the US product. Panellists indicated that crunchiness, peanut flavour and sweetness of both products were just right. The US product had acceptable appearance but was rated too light (hue angle = 69.6 ± 0.70, L‐value = 58.2 ± 0.47) in colour, whereas the Haiti product appeared too dry and dark (hue angle = 62.6 ± 2.79, L‐value = 44.6 ± 2.22). The Haiti peanuts were not deskinned, and their testae may have decreased the acceptability of the product's appearance and colour. The Haiti product was significantly (P < 0.05) just right to the female panellists and to the 21‐year plus panellists from all income groups. Deskinning of the peanuts and increased oil addition during roasting may improve the acceptability of the Haiti product, especially to 14–20 year olds. Decrease in sugar content may also make the Haiti product more appealing to this age group and to male Haitians.