The conventional method of inoculating Phaseolus vulgaris with Rhizobium phaseoli, using a peat carrier and dry seeds, was compared with a method using a slurry inoculation of germinating seeds, which were subsequently sown with a fluid drill. The mean number of nodules per plant 28 days after sowing was 0-64 (uninoculated control), 2-14 (dry seed), and 7-0 (fluid drill), differences between treatments being significant at P=o-oi. Two varieties included in the experiment gave similar responses, and it is concluded that the fluid drill technique has a useful potential as a method of ensuring good inoculation of legume seedlings.

Exotic accessions of Phaseolus vulgaris selected for seedling cold tolerance by Austin & Maclean (1972) in a test in controlled environments were grown in a field experiment at Wellesbourne in 1974. Yields of up to 4-7 t/ha at a plant density of 34 plants/m a were obtained. In 1975, six selected accessions were grown at 21 plants/m 2 at six different sites. Mean site yields ranged from 1-0 to 3-1 t/ha. The six accessions all had better emergence and higher yields than two commercial cultivars used as controls.The genotype x site interactions for yield (and for yield components) were small. The variation in yield between accessions (from 2-0 to 2-5 t/ha) was smaller than the variation in yield between sites. Variation in yield components tended to be additive between sites, and compensatory between accessions. There was a negative correlation between crude protein content and yield across accessions; the correlation between protein content and yield across sites was not significant. Accessions differed significantly in the amount of green leaf still attached to plants at harvest. This variation was not related to maturity as judged by moisture content of the seed. There was a negative correlation across accessions between the weight of leaf per plant at harvest and harvest index (the ratio of seed weight to stem weight). from their work have now been assessed in the field and this paper reports the results. The As the costs of protein sources rise there is in-accessions were grown in a sowing date experiment creasing interest in Phaseolus vulgaris, the navy at the National Vegetable Research Station bean or haricot or dry bean, as a new crop for the (NVRS) in 1974 and then tested at six different United Kingdom. The cultivars currently available sites in 1975. These six sites were chosen to include have a narrow genetic base; Seafarer (syn. Purley 'cool' locations in the north of England and in King) and Seaway (syn. Revenge), which are the Scotland, as well as 'warm' locations in the south most widely grown, both trace back to the same and east of England.

Pedigree, family tree, information retrieval . SUMMARY A computer programme has been written in FORTRAN IV to assist users of a collection of Phaseolus breeding material . It produces desk manuals which list the collection in numeric or alphabetical order, with appended information on the ancestors of each entry . Alternatively the information can be printed as family trees . A sorting facility is provided, to scan information held about each entry for specific descriptor words .

S U M M A R YNine determinate and two indeterminate-bush dry seed cultivars of P. vulgaris were grown in trials for four successive years. Mean annual yield of air dry seed (15% moisture content) varied between 222 and 398 g/m2. Most of the annual variation in yield was accounted for by differences in the quantity of nitrogen fertiliser applied and in the duration of bright sunshine during August. The annual mean harvest date varied between 20 September and 9 October. There was a significant negative correlation between the mean harvest date and the number of Ontario heat units accumulated between 20 May and 20 July.There were significant interactions between genotype and environment for both yield and harvest date; joint regression analysis of the interactions showed that five of the cultivars, which had previously been identified as cold tolerant in laboratory tests, all showed greater stability of yield and of maturity date than standard navy bean types. Environmental variation in the yield components of the cold tolerant selections tended to be compensatory, while that of the standard navy beans was additive in its effects on yield.