Variability in Physico-chemical Properties and Nutritional Components of Tropical and Domestic Dry Bean Germplasm1

Abstract

Food-quality comparisons between tropically adapted genotypes of dry bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and accessions from domestic breeding agencies showed there is sufficient variability in important nutritional and canning traits among tropical beans to justify their use in temperate-climate breeding programs. Specifically, tropical bean germplasm may be of use to transfer stress tolerance and lodging resistance to commercially acceptable genotypes while the breeder is simultaneously breeding to maintain or improve nutritional composition and canning quality. Seed of 35 bean accessions representing plant introductions, breeding lines, and cultivars were screened for proximate chemical composition, yield, and several horticultural characters. Seventeen of these accessions, including several commercial dry bean cultivars, were selected for canning evaluations. Beans were adjusted to 16% moisture before soaking and processing. Soaked and processed beans were evaluated for water uptake, texture (with a Kramer Shear Press), and general canning quality. Protein content was highest in domestically adapted beans (31%) and lowest in the nonblack tropical array of genotypes (22%). Tropical beans showed a greater tendency to clump in the can after cooking. This indicates excessive breakdown of tropical beans during thermal processing. Nonsignificant correlation coefficients indicated that textural differences and soaking properties of the beans were not associated; however, textural differences were correlated with the final moisture percentage in processed tropically adapted beans. Several tropical genotypes were much firmer or much softer after cooking than ‘Sanilac’, which is considered the industry standard for making canning comparisons. Further evaluation of texture by examining Kramer Shear Press tracings showed that textural differences among genotypes could be broken down into a configuration showing a large shear force component, and a curve characterized by mostly compression. The curve types appeared to be a characteristic of the genotype rather than of seed-coat color, size of bean, or final moisture percentage.