Pod physical traits significantly implicate shattering response of pods in beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Abstract

Pod shattering is an undesirable process leading to loss of harvestable yields. In the present study, we sought to undertake the first comprehensive phenotyping in 254 bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) genotypes for pod shattering including various mechanistic aspects as well as assess natural variation in the germplasm set for 16 seed physical traits including shattering score. There was substantial variability in 16 pod physical traits in the material. Significant diversity of the material in respect of pod traits was indicated by the broad range and coefficient of variation (CV) values. Using Random Impact Assessment (RIA), we found substantial variability in pod shattering score in common bean genotypes indicating significant diversity. Shattering score had a mean value of 6.098 with a range of 1.07 to 9.13. Highest shattering score was recorded in WB-6, WB-20-247, and N-7 while the lowest value for shattering score was recorded in WB-1129 and WB-216. Shattering score was negatively correlated with pod thickness (r = -0.698) followed by ventral/dorsal length ratio (r = -0.468) and positively correlated with breadth/thickness ratio (r = 0.599) and string % (r = 0.590). The principal component analysis (PCA) concentrated 86.91% variability in the first five principal components, and the first two PCs accounted for 55.62% of the total variation.

Keywords

• : common bean
• domestication syndrome
• pod physical traits
• pod shattering
• seed dispersal