Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the most important edible food legume in the world, representing 50 % of grain legumes for direct human consumption, normally complementing cereals. Common bean is an interesting crop from the point of view of the consumer, farmer and processor. In plant breeding, grain yield of a cultivar is usually the most important attribute for crop production. Globalisation of trade in agricultural products will increase the pressure to improve bean yields. Seed yield in P. vulgaris is generally expressed as the product of three components: pods/plant, seeds/pod and seed weight. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the phenotypic diversity between 15 dry bean genotypes from Romania in terms of some yield traits, in order to identify the genotypes which could be considered of interest in breeding programs. Following the study, genotypes that exhibit high values of yield traits were identified, which can be used as genes source for breeding of dry bean. Therefore, at F 822/95 line the high level of yield per plant is strongly associated with high number of pods/plant and number of grains/plant, and a medium value of TGW, respectively. Ami variety and F 835/95, F 1247/92, F 962/97 lines, recorded higher yield and values of the other traits above the experience mean. Crossing the phenotypically differentiated genotypes like: Avans - F 822/95; Vera - F 822/95; Diva - Avans; F 1235/91 - F 822/95 ; F 835/95 - F 822/95, allows obtaining hybrids that possess useful gene combinations and show high levels of heterosis for different yield traits.

dry bean, phenotypic diversity, yield traits

Presentation: oral