It is estimated that over 75% of rural households in Tanzania depend on common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) for daily subsistence. Recently, farmers have been increasingly looking for improved bean varieties which meet specific market demands characterized with yellow seed colour, early maturing and/or adapted to local agro-ecologies. Study focused on assessing the performance of bean varieties for agronomic traits through variety and environmental interactions by identifying high yielding, ealy maturing and market demand seed classes among the tested materials. For testing adaptability and stability, experiments were conducted in low to high altitudes for two consecutive years using randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. Eight common bean varieties KG98, Navy line 1, KATB9, SABRYT, KATB1, Lyamungu 85, JESCA and Calima Uyole were used. Absolute, matrix and pairwise ranking were used integratively for farmers’ and researcher’s assessment and selection. Participatory variety selection approach gave farmers an opportunity to assess and select varieties from a range of near finished materials in the breeding process. As part of the Farmers’ participatory variety selection process, seventeen participants as among the consumers 46% being women were selected to participate in a focused group discussion. Results revealed that, days to flowering, days to maturity and yield across the tested environments showed significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) as well as yield and diseases interactions for genotype, environment and season. Field data and farmers’ assessment data showed two varieties of KATB1 (yellow round) and KATB9 (red round) for better performance (high yield) and grain preference respectively. It showed that, early maturing; seed type and marketability varieties are highly demanded by bean farmers in Tanzania.

Assessment study on yield performance and consumer preferences characteristics of iron and zinc fortified bean genotypes was conducted between 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons at different agro-ecologies of Tanzania. The objective of the study was to improve nutrition and income of smallholder farmers through growing and selling of high yielding and iron bean genotypes. The experiments consisted of five high iron enhanced climbing common bean genotypes namely: MAC 44 (80.3 mg/kg), RWV (78 mg/kg), MAC9 (64 mg/kg), MAC49 (66.6 mg/kg) and Selian (35.2 mg/kg). These planting materials were planted in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications in Arusha at ARI-Selian farm, Lambo in Kilimanjaro, ARI-Uyole in Mbeya and in Kagera at ARI-Maruku. The sites ARI-Selian and Maruku represented mid altitude agro-ecologies, ARI Uyole (high altitude) and Lambo site is low agro-ecology. Grain yield and disease reaction scores data was collected and analysed using GenStat 15 th edition software. Results showed significance difference (P≤0.05) for grain yield and diseases. Grain yield ranged from 1538kg/ha to 4314 kg/ha. Genotype RWV1129 produced 3091 kg/ha in 2014/2015 where as MACC44 yielded relatively higher (3530kg/ha than RWV1129 at Selian site in 2015/2016 season. The farmers' participatory variety selection approach used in selecting of new improved bean genotypes depicted high yield, high market demanded, and resistant to diseases as the key important criteria. Genotypes MACC44 and RWV 1129 were the best genotypes accepted by farmers due to their high yield, and high market value. Therefore, the study recommended them to be registered and released as nutritionally improved varieties for farmers' cultivation and consumption thereby to relief the iron deficient vulnerable groups in Tanzania.