PARTICIPATORY EVALUATION OF COMMON BEAN GENOTYPES FOR ADAPTATION AND

YIELD POTENTIAL IN DROUGHT-PRONE AREAS OF KENYA

Macharia R. D; Karanja R. D and Nguluu S.

First Bio-Innovate Regional Scientific ConferenceUnited Nations Conference Centre (UNCC-ECA)Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 25-27 February 2013

Partners involved Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture (extension staff in

Project sites) Trufoods Limited CLUSA International Smart Logistics Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services

Rationale Little work has been done to develop improved bean

varieties that combine tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses with canning qualityMexican 142 – ruling varieties despite susceptibility to

drought and diseases (Bred and released in1950s)

Presence of processing industry in Kenya (Import raw materials from neighboring country by brokers)

Change in eating habits; Plant v animal based protein)

High demand v supply

Rationale cont’dProvide an alternative and relay crop in maize

and wheat growing areas

Lack of stakeholders’ involvement may contribute to rejection of new cultivars or very low adoption rates

Cultivars developed with stakeholders are more likely to be disseminated, adopted faster and have higher impact than those developed in formal systems

Objective

Evaluate the common bean genotypes for adaptation and yield performance in drought-prone environments of Kenya

Breeding Beans for Processing Industry• Initial working collection of 250 genotypes constituted

• Representative of major market class of Andean and Mesoamerican gene pools.

• Evaluated at Kiboko under stress and no stress conditions

• 111 lines were selected for participatory on-farm across AEZs evaluation and further shoot traits related to drought resistance.

• Evaluated in five on-farm sites (Itoloni, ngongoni, Ntulele, Olepolos, and moidabi) and two on-station sites (Kiboko and Katumani

6

Summary of Advanced Lines and Yield potential on-station

Seed type Average Yield (Kg/ha)

Non stress

Stress Rainfed

Red Mottled 20 1689.6 988.9 936.2

Red Kidney 18 2169.8 892.8 957.2

Small and Medium Reds

20 2038.1 772.4 1011.3

Small white 22 2265.1 1107.9 1437.6

Mixed Colours 21 2590.5 1292.2 1263.5

• New Drought tolerant lines were better yielding than the checks.

• Most genotypes give higher yields than the national average (>500 kg/ha) under stress and rainfed conditions.

On-Farm Average Yield across sites in 2012 LR

Seed type Average Yield (Kg/ha)

Red Mottled 19 1163.9

Red Kidney 17 1028.2

Small and Medium Reds

9 1321.1

Small white 22 1537.5

Mixed Colours 20 1363.5

KAT x 69* 715.3

KAT x 56* 650.2

KAT B9* 583.6

KAT B1* 432.5

• With proper choice of good lines from the new nurseries yield advantage of <10% have been realized.

Participatory selection for drought tolerance

•Gender disaggregated

•Ribbon method used to select the preferred and non-preferred lines.

•Probing to understand the criteria for and against

Participatory Variety Selection Cont’d

• Key traits for farmers:• Yield• Drought tolerance• Earliness• Uniformity in Maturity• Growth habit• Non shattering

Participatory Variety Selection Cont,dSite Male Female Total

Olepolos 18 13 31

Ntulele 63 14 77

Ngiito 14 9 23

Mai Mahiu 9 4 13

Nguutani 18 9 27

Kambi ya Mawe

23 20 43

Total 145 69 214

After three cycles of selection 12 lines (5 small whites, 4 red mottled, 1 red kidney and 2 small reds) have been selected

Planted together with the four commercial checks for AYT

With the results from on-station AYT at least 3 lines combing high yield, drought tolerance and industrial canning quality will be submitted for National Performance Trial in the coming season

On-going activities

Advanced yield trials.

Elite lines multiplication for industrial canning quality testing at Trufoods Ltd.

Acknowledgements Government of KenyaBioInnovate/SIDATRUFOODS LTDCLUSA InternationalMinistry of AgricultureFarmer Groups