Dear Colleagues,
The California Dry Bean Advisory Board is requesting applied research proposals for 2022. This commodity-based research request is sponsored by the California Dry Bean Marketing Order, under the guidance of the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
The following is a list of research priorities discussed and approved by the California Dry Bean Advisory Board. Along with the importance of the breeding program, Council members expressed their desire to see more agronomic type research proposals. Pest and weed control continue to be issues within the industry. With the concerns over nitrogen use and future monitoring there is some interest in nitrogen studies. There is also interest in deep rooted pinquito beans for dry farming along the coastal regions. These priorities reflect current issues and would complement the breeding research program.
In particular, the board is looking for projects in food science with developing new products for consumers, using California beans.This is a growing priority for the Board and will receive special attention.
Applied Research Priorities:
Baby Lima Council
Breeding Agronomics Food Science
- Yield/Better setting 1. Lygus 1. Food Innovation
Varieties 2. Black bean aphid 2. Nutrition
- Lygus resistance 3. Plant growth regulator work to 3. Product Innovation
3. Nematode resistance help with bloom set
4. Drought tolerance 4. Water efficiency/Drip Irrigation
5. Symphylans
Large Lima Council
- Yield/ better bloom set
- Lygus
- Nematodes
- Centipedes
- Drip/materials within drip
- Mite control
- Fertility/Nitrogen
Blackeye Council
Breeding New Varieties
- Adding lygus and aphid resistance into blackeye varieties
- Adding Fusarium and Nematode Resistance to Blackeye 50
- Continue development of fusarium and nematode resistance into Blackeye 46 prototypes
- Breeding for a more upright plant
- Water efficiency and drought tolerance
- Continue with existing varietal development for full season, high-yielding varieties
- Get seeds of promising lines into growers' strip trials as soon a possible for realistic evaluation
Agronomic Priorities
- Protection against weeds (nightshade, Pigweed, morning glory and nutsedge)
- Protection against lygus
- Protection against aphids and other insects
Garbanzo Council
Plant Breeding Priorities Agronomic Priorities
1. Yield 1. Weed Control
2. Seed Quality 2. White Mold
3. Ascochyta Resistance 3. Virus Control/Education
4. White Mold/Soil Disease Resistance 4. Sanitation Education
5. Temperature and Regional Acclimation 5. Irrigation Levels and Timing
6. Fusarium Resistance 6. Yield Variations between Test Plots
7. Salt Tolerance and Growers' Fields
Common Bean Council
Development or evaluation of higher yielding varieties for California Production
- Development of cultural practices including safer crop protection techniques to cut production input costs, and meet future challenges
- Development of a plant with a better root system
- Development of a variety that will produce under organic growing conditions and cultural practices
- Water efficiency and drip irrigation
For current information on dry bean production in California as well as past reports funded by the board, see the Agronomy and Research Information Center at http://beans.ucanr.org/ for Dry Bean Research and Production Information, and the direct link to the reports at http://beans.ucanr.edu/Publications_Database/.
Proposals are due by Friday February 4, 2022. Please submit proposals electronically to: Nick Clark, neclark@ucanr.edu, or Michelle Leinfelder-Miles, mmleinfeldermiles@ucanr.edu.
Thank you.
Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)