Climate-resilient and nutritious long beans are vulnerable to aphids and nematodes. Scientists from the University of California-Riverside have created four new pest-resistant varieties to reduce farmers’ need for pesticides.
Aphid-infested long beans (Lilian Thaoxaochay/UCR). A Journal of Plant Registrations paper details these new varieties and their development methods.
Long beans are popular in Asia, Africa, and with Asian immigrants in the U.S. They can grow up to 36 inches and withstand heat and humidity but struggle against pests.
“Until now, all local long bean varieties have been prone to aphids and root-knot nematodes,” said UC Riverside plant geneticist Bao Lam Huynh, the paper’s first author.
Aphids damage bean leaves, potentially killing the plant or making the beans unsellable. They can spread quickly from plant to plant, making them hard to control.
Root-knot nematodes cause galls on roots, harming the plant’s ability to absorb water and nutrients. Fewer beans and an increased risk of rot and disease result.
Huynh and his team contacted Hmong long bean growers in Fresno through UC Cooperative Extension to explore pest management. They found that long beans needed the most pesticides of all their crops, leading to low market demand.
The researchers aimed to develop pest-resistant varieties to cut pesticide use and boost sales. Supported by the California Department of Food and Agriculture with over $400,000, they worked with UC Cooperative Extension and Fresno farmers, crossing local beans with pest-resistant African cowpeas.
The team developed three lengthy bean varieties that resist aphids and one that repels root-knot nematodes. The nematode-resistant variety can help control nematode populations and reduce the need for chemical treatments.
One new variety has shorter stems, so it doesn’t need a trellis and is easier to harvest with machines, lowering production costs.
The team plans to create varieties resistant to both pests. It is now introducing these new varieties to farmers in the Central Valley. They aim to show the benefits of reduced pesticide use, lower costs, safer food, and potentially higher demand.
Journal reference:
- Bao-Lam Huyn, Ruth M. Dahlquist-Willard et al., Registration of four pest-resistant long bean germplasm lines. Journal of Plant Registrations. DOI: 10.1002/plr2.20361.