Variation for nodulation and plant yield of common bean genotypes and environmental effects on the genotype expression

Abstract

Common bean symbiotic nitrogen fixation provides an ecological and economical alternative to increase bean production but it depends on soil fertility and climate conditions. The objectives of this work were to characterize common bean genotypes for their ability to establish symbiosis under controlled conditions and to study the effect of the environment on the expression of those genotypes. The experiment under controlled conditions was conducted in a greenhouse with 158 genotypes that represented the major dry bean market classes. The field experiment was carried out in six environments with 64 genotypes that were previously selected for their contrasting nodulation ability and/or root development under the controlled conditions experiment. Nodulation, plant, and grain yield data of the bean genotypes were measured in both experiments. There was a significant high variability in plant development responses among the studied genotypes associated with the rhizobial strain inoculated under controlled conditions. Two nodulation phenotypes were observed among the genotypes tested: the big-nodules phenotype (BNO) associated with almost 63% fewer nodules and 58% higher proportion of nodule biomass in the below-ground compartment than the smallnodules phenotype (SNO) with less developed aerial parts. Genotype plus genotype × environment (GGE) biplot model analysis enabled identification of the highest-yielding genotypes for the different environments. The soil chemical factors of these environments were associated with the nodule number or the biomass of the common bean genotypes. Genotypes with a BNO phenotype showed a good plant response, indicating that this phenotype may be more beneficial for plant growth and seed yield in environmental conditions that may limit nodule development. The amplitude of the genotypic variability found in this work confirms the potential for rhizobial symbiosis of adapted bean genotypes, which could constitute a preferential material for initial breeding of symbiotically active lines. The data also indicate the potential of bean breeding to identify environments containing effective strains of rhizobia essential for sustainable agriculture, improving productivity, and maintaining environmental quality.

Effect of genotypes-Rhizobium-environment interaction on nodulation and productivity of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in eastern Ethiopia

“…Due to genetic makeup difference among common bean genotypes, it may record high production though induced low nodulation (Pereira et al 1984). Conversely, Rodiño et al (2011) found that genotypes with a big nodule phenotype showed a good plant response and more beneficial for plant growth and seed yield. In contrast to the current study, Farid and Navabi (2015) found the common bean genotypes × environment interaction for grain yield production.…”

“…This suggests the presence of appropriate indigenous rhizobia, which could be different in infectiveness and effectiveness in different soils. Rodiño et al (2011) determined common bean variety and variety × environment interaction effect on nodulation. A similar finding was reported in common bean in Canadian Prairie by Nleya et al (2009) who found that common bean genotypes differed in nodulation formation.…”

History of the common bean crop: its evolution beyond its areas of origin and domestication

“…In the case of rhizobia symbiotic system, it is possible that migration of the species had not been parallel, so additional efforts are under way to achieve efficient symbiotic genotypes of common bean and rhizobia (Rodiño et al, 2011). As a result of plantrhizobia co-evolution, a spectrum of compatible rhizobia has developed each specific for one or more given legume species.…”

Breeding Annual Grain Legumes for Sustainable Agriculture: New Methods to Approach Complex Traits and Target New Cultivar Ideotypes

“…The fact that the common bean has evolved wordlwide outside its areas of origin has implications for the development of new varieties in its areas of adaptive radiation, such as Europe. For the rhizobia symbiotic system, it is possible that migration of species had not been parallel, so additional efforts are under way to achieve efficient symbiotic genotypes of common bean and rhizobia (Rodiño et al, 2010;Rodiño et al, 2011).…”

“…The efficiency of the symbiotic pathway for accumulating N and for the plant to store it as proteins of good nutritional value, is the ultimate goal of most breeding programs. These traits are very integrative and quantitative, and are based on several plant functions and numerous plant genes, together with environmental factors (Santalla et al, 2001b;Rodiño et al, 2011).…”