Five New Disease Resistant Pintos

WASHINGTON - Jun 12/06 - SNS -- The USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have released five new pinto bean lines resistant to common bean rust, caused by the rust fungus Uromyces appendiculatus, and to the common mosaic and common mosaic necrosis viruses.

The lines are known as 'BelDakMi-RMR' and numbered 19 to 23. Scientists at the Vegetable Laboratory, part of ARS' Henry A. Wallace Beltsville (Md.) Agricultural Research Center, bred the lines in collaboration with colleagues at North Dakota State and Michigan State universities.

Most commercial bean varieties contain two or fewer disease-resistance genes. The BelDakMi pintos have six resistance genes--more than any other known bean. Each contains four genes for resistance to U. appendiculatus, and two for resistance to bean common mosaic and bean common mosaic necrosis.

According to ARS plant geneticist Marcial Pastor-Corrales, who worked on the project, the pintos are resistant to every known strain of these variable pathogens.

Beans are an economically important crop in this country and a nutritious source of vitamins, proteins, iron, folate, fiber and complex carbohydrates for millions of people around the world.

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