Members of PABRA are working together to develop high yielding, marketable climbing and bush bean varieties which will help to improve productivity and livelihoods of families in rural and urban African communities. In 2006, a total of 22 new varieties with high micronutrient content, improved yield potential, better resistance to major diseases and pests, and marketable grain types were released in ECABREN countries, and a further 17 varieties were close to formal release.

Fifteen candidates were recommended for release in Kenya in December 2006 and include twelve bush and three climbing bean varieties (MAC13, MAC 34 and MAC 64). In Western DR Congo, three climbing bean varieties (Ndundu, Manseki and Mpolo) and two bush bean varieties (Sepe and Mbidi) adapted to the lowland humid tropics were proposed for release. Five bush varieties have been released for low elevation and high humidity areas including two regional varieties (Lyamungu 90 originating from Tanzania and Moore 88002 from Burundi). In Uganda, two new varieties (RWR 2075 and RWR 1946) with resistance to root rots and tolerance to low soil fertility were released. In Ethiopia, five new varieties were released in 2006. These were: STTT-165-92 (Chore), RAB 484 (Dinkesh), XAN 310 (Melka Dima), G843 (Alemaya), and STTT 165-96 (Chercher). Twelve candidates have been proposed by FOFIFA bean programme for release in Madagascar. These included four large white, red mottled and kidney grain types with acceptable export quality, tolerance to disease and to low soil fertility.

Although South Africa is the only country in SABRN that has a breeding programme, three other countries in the network released an additional eight high yielding disease resistant varieties through sharing and exchange of germplasm; DR Congo (3), Mozambique (2), and Swaziland (3). Three new high yielding bean varieties were formally released in Swaziland (Jenny, Teebus RR-1 and CAL143). The red mottled bean CAL143 which is tolerant to low soil fertility and resistant to angular leaf spot disease, halo blight and powdery mildew was also simultaneously released in Mozambique, along with SUG131 (another disease resistant, high yielding variety which has been released in more than one country). In Southern DR Congo, three new high yielding varieties with tolerance to low soil fertility (XAN76, DOR715 and DB196) were released while South Africa released Sederberg, a high yielding variety resistant to angular leaf spot and rust.

PABRA, Kawanda Agricultural Research Institute, P.O. Box 6247, Kampala, Uganda
Tel +256-414-567670, fax +256-414-567635, email r.buruchara@cgiar.org

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