Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Legume Systems Research

The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Legume Systems Research is in collaboration with the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) and USDA Agricultural Research Service Tropical Agriculture Research Station (USDA-ARS TARS) with the goal of improving common bean production in Honduras and Guatemala. Greater and more stable common bean yields will improve smallholder farmer incomes, reduce poverty of rural families, and enhance food security throughout the region.

The project titled, “Release and dissemination of promising common bean cultivars to improve food security in Honduras and Guatemala” is led by Dr. Ermita Hernandez Heredia at UPR.

Bean farmers in Honduras and Guatemala face disease threats, invasive pests, high temperatures, and drought conditions. The project will address these issues through the release of disease and pest resistant and climate-resilient common bean varieties. Specifically, the project will support the formal release of SEF 70 (‘Rojo Fortificado’) in Honduras, a small red bean, and of SMN 97 (ICTA Tahual), a small black bean, in Guatemala. Both lines exhibit key disease resistance traits and abiotic stress tolerance, prevalent in the region and are bio-fortified with higher iron and zinc concentrations in the seed to improve human nutrition.

The project will also conduct on-farm testing of the bruchid (pest) and multiple virus resistant small red bean line PR1743-44 in Honduras. Losses to bruchids can exceed 50% for beans stored longer than 3 months (Tigist, 2020). Results from natural infestation studies conducted in Puerto Rico found that the resistant lines had minimal damage at 90 days after harvest whereas seed susceptible varieties were severely damaged.

In Honduras the project is partnering with the Seed and Grain Production Unit of Zamorano University (ZU). ZU has produced and distributed certified seed for over 50 years and participates in governmental programs to distribute seeds and fertilizers to thousands of farmers each year. The Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology (ICTA) is the project partner in Guatemala. ICTA is responsible for generating and promoting the use of science and technology in the Guatemalan agricultural sector. ICTA has successfully released over 30 bean varieties in Guatemala. ZU and ICTA are involved in participatory plant breeding and in training farmers in improving their capacity in seed production and storage. Both institutions also function as key producers and distributors of seed in each country.

Another serious threat for bean farmers is the Asian bean flower thrip Megalurothrips usitatus Bagnall (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), is an invasive pest that has recently caused significant yield losses in beans in Guatemala and Honduras and other countries in Central America and the Caribbean. During the first year, the project will work to screen bean germplasm for resistance to this important pest. The goal will be to quickly determine if resistance exists in this diverse Phaseolus material and if response is consistent across environments. In addition, research on control strategies will be initiated.

The project will implement multistakeholder integration as the primary focus. Linking farmers with industry and government stakeholders to drive innovation for impact and scaling.

This activity is a commissioned project under the Legume Systems Innovation Lab. The Lab expects to award several competitively funded projects on legume systems in East, West, and Southern Africa and Central America in the coming months and is currently in review of received concept notes during the recent call for submissions

The Legume Systems Innovation Lab is based at Michigan State University and is funded by USAID under Feed the Future, the U.S. government’s global hunger and food security initiative. For more information about the Legume Systems Innovation Lab visit https://www.canr.msu.edu/legumelab/ and to learn more about Feed the Future visit https://www.feedthefuture.gov/.