Researchers from Chile and the United States are seeking to generate bean varieties resistant to "mosaic virus" and weevils.

A collaborative effort between the University of Nebraska and Chile's Agricultural Research Institute (INIA) is aimed at developing bean varieties that are resistant to common diseases and pests, including the common mosaic virus and weevils. This collaboration, which began in 2018 and involves plant breeder Carlos Urrea and INIA's legume breeding program head Kianyon Tay, has also seen the involvement of the University of Concepción, facilitating the training of Chilean students in Nebraska. The research focuses on breeding beans with improved drought tolerance and a upright structure for easier harvesting. Although the development of new commercial varieties, which include weevil-resistant turtledove and common coscorrón beans and lines of beans from Nebraska that can resist the common mosaic virus, is a long-term process, the partnership marks a significant step towards creating more resilient bean crops.

An important collaboration agreement to develop bean varieties resistant to the main disease and pest affecting this popular crop in both countries is being carried out by researchers from the University of Nebraska and the Agricultural Research Institute, an agency of the Ministry of Agriculture. In this context, and as a result of a collaboration agreement dating back to 2018, plant breeder Carlos Urrea visited Chillán to meet with Kianyon Tay, head of INIA's legume breeding program. "What I'm doing here is advancing the generations, that is, making the bean breeding program more efficient, so we can release varieties in less time," explained Urrea, mentioning the advantages of working in the Chilean summer when it's winter in the United States. He added that the agreement between the two institutions "allows me to collaborate with INIA's legume breeding program. We have been crossbreeding to improve bean resistance to the common mosaic virus, which is endemic in this area, and ...