Search Results (13)

Yardlong bean is a vegetable type of cowpea grown for fresh and immature pods. “Thua Ngu” is a specialty yardlong bean cultivar with its unique snake-like pod surface and highly crispy pods that may be useful for the breeding of a new cultivar(s). The objectives of this study were to determine the mode of inheritance of the snake-like pod trait and locate the genome region controlling this trait in Thua Ngu. Microscopic observation revealed that the shape, size, and organization of cells of immature and mature pods of Thua Ngu were clearly different from those of “Raya” (normal yardlong bean). Fiber analysis showed that lignin content in immature and mature pods of Thua Ngu was 2.05- and 3.45-fold higher than that in Raya. Segregation analysis using F₂ and F_2:3 populations of the cross Thua Ngu × Raya demonstrated that a single gene controls the snake-like pod trait. QTL-seq analysis using the F₂ population revealed a major locus, qSlp4.1, for the snake-like pod trait. Fine-mapping using F₂ and F_2:3 populations delimited qSlp4.1 to a 152.88 Kbp region containing nine genes. Genes with functions involved in cell morphology and/or lignin formation, including Vigun04g163400, Vigun04g163600, and Vigun04g163700, were identified as candidate genes for the snake-like pod trait. Full article

Protected cultivation is the sustainable approach to horticultural crop production under adverse climates. In this study, the performance of yard-long beans under three protected cultivations, including single-span polyhouse (SSP), five-span polyhouse (FSP), and insect-proof net house (IPN), is examined and compared to open field cultivation. The above protected cultivation can extend the harvest period of pods by 6–10 days, improve their quality, and increase yield by 15.6% to 25.1%, reducing the incidence and severity of thrips and Cercospora leaf spot, rust, and powdery mildew. Among them, yard-long beans grown in SSP are longer and straighter in shape and have the lowest incidence and severity of pests and diseases and the highest levels of total polyphenols, total sugar, soluble protein, starch, and fiber. This indicates that protected cultivation has broad application in the production of yard-long beans. Through full subset regression analysis (FSRA), we report here that the yield and of yard-long bean occurrences of pests and diseases were highly impacted by climatic factors, especially UV radiation intensity and air temperature. These results have considerable implications for improving pod yield and quality and green prevention and control of pests and diseases through optimizing facility structure and fertilizer management. Full article

Studying the effects of genetic and environmental factors on plant biochemical components helps in selecting the best varieties for the food industry and breeding programs. This study analyzed the nutritional qualities, secondary metabolites, and antioxidant activities of 14 field-grown yardlong beans accessions and how they are affected by differences in pod and seed colors. The analyzed parameters varied significantly among the yardlong bean accessions, with variances ranging from 1.36% in total unsaturated fatty acid content to 51.01% in DPPH^• scavenging activity. Accessions YLB4, YLB7, and YLB14 performed the best, showing antioxidant indices of 100.00, 70.10, and 67.88%, respectively. Among these, YLB14 showed a characteristic property, having the highest levels of vitamin C (2.62 mg/g) and omega-6 to omega-3 ratio (2.67). It also had the second highest dietary fiber (21.45%), stearic acid (4.44%), and linoleic acid (40.39%) contents, as well as the lowest thrombogenicity index (0.38). Although cluster and principal component analyses did not clearly separate the yardlong beans based on pod or seed color, analysis of variance revealed that these factors and their interaction had significant effects on total phenol, DPPH^• scavenging activity, ABTS^•+ scavenging activity, and reducing power. In contrast, the nutritional parameters, except for dietary fiber, were not significantly affected by pod and seed color variations. Therefore, consuming yardlong beans of different pod and seed colors may not affect the overall nutrient intake. In general, this study identified yardlong beans with green pods and black seeds as good sources of antioxidants. Accordingly, further metabolomics and genomics studies are suggested to thoroughly explore their characteristics. Full article

This study analyzed the nutrient levels, secondary metabolite contents, and antioxidant activities of 35 yardlong bean accessions from China, Korea, Myanmar, and Thailand, along with their key agronomic traits. Significant variations were found in all the parameters analyzed (p < 0.05). The crude fiber (CFC), dietary fiber (DFC), total protein, and total fat contents varied from 4.10 to 6.51%, 16.71 to 23.49%, 22.45 to 28.11%, and 0.59 to 2.00%, respectively. HPLC analysis showed more than a 10-fold difference in vitamin C level (0.23 to 3.04 mg/g), whereas GC-FID analysis revealed the dominance of palmitic acid and linoleic acid. All accessions had high levels of total unsaturated fatty acids, which could help in preventing cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, total phenolic, tannin, and saponin contents ranged between 3.78 and 9.13 mg GAE/g, 31.20 and 778.34 mg CE/g, and 25.79 and 82.55 mg DE/g, respectively. Antioxidant activities like DPPH^• scavenging, ABTS^•+ scavenging, and reducing power (RP) ranged between 1.63 and 9.95 mg AAE/g, 6.51 and 21.21 mg TE/g, and 2.02, and 15.58 mg AAE/g, respectively. Days to flowering, total fat, palmitic acid, oleic acid, and TPC were significantly influenced by origin and genotype differences, while seeds per pod, one-hundred seeds weight, CFC, DFC, vitamin C, RP, and TSC were not affected by these factors. Multivariate analysis categorized the accessions into four clusters showing significant variations in most of the analyzed parameters. Correlation analysis also revealed significant relationships between several noteworthy parameters. Overall, this comprehensive analysis of biochemical factors revealed diversity among the different yardlong bean varieties. These findings could have practical applications in industries, breeding programs, and conservation efforts. Full article

The yardlong bean [Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis (L.) Verdc.] is an important vegetable crop, but it is prone to pest infestation. Therefore, breeding insect-resistant varieties is essential to reduce pesticide applications and to increase bean quality and yield. In the present study, 64 yardlong bean varieties were screened for their resistance to the common cutworm (Spodoptera litura Fabricius). In the greenhouse, leaves, pods, and seeds of yardlong beans were harmed by naturally occurring common cutworms. Seventeen insect-resistant and four insect-susceptible yardlong bean varieties were identified based on the weight of the nine-day-old larvae and 72 h weight increases of 4th instar larvae through feeding newly hatched and 4th instar larvae, respectively. Subsequent verification feeding experiments with newly hatched larvae showed that Zhuzaidou and Pingtangjiangdou’s insect resistance are the weakest and Jiangdou No.5, j-1, Zhijiangtezao No. 30, and Changcaidou have the strongest insect resistance. In 21 yardlong bean varieties, starch content and larval weight showed negative correlation and there was positive correlation between crude protein and larval weight, but almost neither of them reached significant levels. Through organ antibiotic and antixenotic experiments, it was concluded that common cutworms preferred feeding on yardlong bean leaves, and the weight increase of common cutworms feeding on leaves was higher than that of pods and seeds. These insect-resistant yardlong bean varieties warrant further investigation in basic antibiosis mechanism research in yardlong beans and can serve as germplasm resources for breeding programs engaged in reducing pesticide usage. Full article

It is well-known that eating highly nutritious foods has health benefits which may include the prevention of diabetes, heart disease, cancers and other diseases. We examined five yard-long bean cultivars commonly grown in Bangladesh to determine their quality and nutritional composition in terms of carbohydrates, protein, moisture content, fat, ash, sugar crude fiber, as well as their average concentrations of the important nutrients vitamins A (folate) B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6 (pyridoxamine), and C (ascorbic acid), the electrolytes sodium and potassium, and the minerals iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc. The experiment was conducted at the Horticulture Research Centre (latitude 23.9920° N and longitude 90.4125° E, having an elevation of 8.2 m asl) of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Joydebpur, Bangladesh during 2019–2020 to find out the best yard-long bean cultivar to meet the nutritional security of the increasing population of Bangladesh. We observed average energy concentrations of the five yard-long bean cultivars between 37.62 to 45.94 Kcal/100 g. Similarly, average carbohydrate concentrations ranged between 6.28 to 8.41 g/100 g, average protein between 2.80 and 3.30 g/100 g, average fat between 0.10 and 0.19 g/100 g, average sugar between 1.47 to 2.34 g/100 g, and average crude fiber between 1.23 to 1.85 g/100 g. All five yard-long bean cultivars had high average concentrations of folate and key vitamins critical for human health: vitamin A (846.23–869.36 IU), vitamin B1 (0.096–0.115 mg), vitamin B2 (0.109–0.118 mg), vitamin B3 (0.40–0.42 mg), vitamin B6 (0.020–0.025 mg), and vitamin C (18.20–20.22 mg). Average sodium concentrations in the yard-long bean pods ranged from 3.97 to 4.18 mg, while average potassium concentrations varied between 230.03 and 246.57 mg. We observed high average concentrations of the minerals iron (0.85–1.28 mg), calcium (42.11–58.83 mg), magnesium (40.44–46.50 mg), and zinc (0.36–0.40 mg). Following this thorough investigation, we recommend the five yard-long bean cultivars be promoted for production and consumption within Bangladesh to improve human health and nutrition and to contribute to the prevention of key health complications including diabetes, obesity and some cancers. Full article

Demand for Asian vegetables is rising rapidly due to changing demographics and increasing consumer awareness of their health benefits. However, growers are not familiar with growing these “foreign” crops due to insufficient technical information regarding suitable cultivars for different regions, production schedules, disease and pest susceptibility, and postharvest management. The objective of this study was to conduct trials in different production systems and climate regions to demonstrate the potential of growing Asian vegetables in Texas. We conducted preliminary trials of nine leafy greens in the open field, high tunnel, and greenhouse (container and hydroponic production) to explore the suitability and potential for year-round production. We also conducted field trials for warm season crops in the open field in different climate zones. Results indicated that for cool season leafy greens, open field production has a limited growing season, high tunnel has the potential to extend the growing season, while greenhouse may provide year-round production using soilless substrate container culture or hydroponic system. For warm season crops, early planting is recommended for high yield. Additional research is warranted in different regions to test more species and cultivars and optimize the production system of high-performing cultivars to maximize production and profitability. Full article

This study determined the gene effects involved in the inheritance of pod length and other yield-related traits and relationships among traits in crosses between two cowpea lines (TVu 2280 and TVu 2027) and a yard-long bean (TVu 6642) line with long pods. Plants of six generations (P₁, P₂, F₁, F₂, BC₁P₁, and BC₁P₂) derived from TVu 2280 × TVu 6642 and TVu 2027 × TVu 6642 were evaluated under field conditions. Data collected on 14 yield components of each cross were used for generation mean analysis. Gene effects and their magnitudes varied with the crosses; digenic epistatic gene effects were detected for 10 traits in TVu 2280 × TVu 6642 and 11 traits in TVu 2280 × TVu 6642. Only additive gene effect was significant for pod length in TVu 2280 × TVu 6642 while additive, dominant, and two of the three digenic epistatic gene effects were significant in TVu 2027 × TVu 6642. Models that incorporated only significant additive, dominant, and digenic epistasis were adequate for all 14 traits in TVu 2280 × TVu 6642 and eight of the 12 traits in TVu 2027 × TVu 6642 for which model-fitting was possible. Across segregating generation of the two crosses, pod length (PodLNT) was significantly (p < 0.001) correlated with three major yield components viz. pod weight (0.84, 0.77), number of seeds per pod (0.41, 0.30) and seed weight per pod (0.61, 0.29). Significant correlation of PodLNT with seed yield per plant was moderate and significant (p < 0.01–0.001) in the BC₁P₁ of the two crosses (0.31 and 0.41). An improvement in cowpea seed yield is feasible through selection for long pods in segregating generations involving crosses with yard-long bean. Full article

Seed priming is a technique that can potentially facilitate rapid and consistent germination and subsequent plant growth. The present study investigates the effect of different seed priming treatments and processing times on germination and growth efficiency for the effective cultivation of Yard-long bean. Thirteen different primings were used to determine the stimulatory effect on the germination and yield performance of the Yard-long bean. The priming treatments included control (without priming); hydro priming for 12, 18, 24, and 30 h; halo priming (1% CaCl₂) for 12, 18, 24, and 30 h; and halo priming (2% KNO₃) for 12, 18, 24, and 30 h. Studies showing the highest level of germination (86.66%), germination index (35.69), seedling vigor index (1833.80), number of branches (7.20), and pod yields per plant (1836.00 g) were recorded from halo priming with 1% CaCl₂ at 12 h treatment. Halo priming with 1% CaCl₂ at 12 h is thus considered to be a compatible priming technique for the germination of seeds and a higher yield of Yard-long bean. Full article

Yardlong bean (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. ssp. sesquipedalis), a subgroup of cowpea, is an important vegetable legume crop of Asia where its young pods are consumed in both fresh and cooked forms. Pod fiber contents (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin) correlates with pod tenderness (softness/hardness) and pod shattering. In a previous study using populations derived from crosses between yardlong bean and wild cowpea (V. unguiculata ssp. unguiculata var. spontanea), three major quantitative trait loci (QTLs), qCel7.1, qHem7.1 and qLig7.1, controlling these fibers were identified on linkage group 7 (cowpea chromosome 5) and are co-located with QTLs for pod tenderness and pod shattering. The objective of this study was to identify candidate gene(s) controlling the pod fiber contents. Fine mapping for qCel7.1, qHem7.1 and qLig7.1 was conducted using F₂ and F_2:3 populations of 309 and 334 individuals, respectively, from the same cross combination. New DNA markers were developed from cowpea reference genome sequence and used for fine mapping. A QTL analysis showed that in most cases, each pod fiber content was controlled by one major and one minor QTLs on the LG7. The major QTLs for cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin in pod were always mapped to the same regions or close to each other. In addition, a major QTL for pod shattering was also located in the region. Although there were several annotated genes relating to pod fiber contents in the region, two genes including Vigun05g266600 (VuBGLU12) encoding a beta glucosidase and Vigun05g273500 (VuMYB26b) encoding a transcription factor MYB26 were identified as candidate genes for the pod fiber contents and pod shattering. Function(s) of these genes in relation to pod wall fiber biosynthesis and pod shattering was discussed. Full article

The effects of 2 mM silicon (Si) and 10 mM KNO₃ (N)—prime signals for plant resistance to pathogens—were analyzed in healthy and Cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) or Cowpea mild mottle virus (CMMV)-infected Bradyrhizobium-nodulated cowpea, yardlong bean and mung bean plants. In healthy plants of the three Vigna taxa, nodulation and growth were promoted in the order of Si + N > N > Si > controls. In the case of healthy cowpea and yardlong bean, the addition of Si and N decreased ureide and α-amino acids (AA) contents in the nodules and leaves in the order of Si + N> N > Si > controls. On the other hand, the addition of N arrested the deleterious effects of CCMV or CMMV infections on growth and nodulation in the three Vigna taxa. However, the addition of Si or Si + N hindered growth and nodulation in the CCMV- or CMMV-infected cowpea and yardlong bean, causing a massive accumulation of ureides in the leaves and nodules. Nevertheless, the AA content in leaves and nodules of CCMV- or CMMV-infected cowpea and yardlong bean was promoted by Si but reduced to minimum by Si + N. These results contrasted to the counteracting effects of Si or Si + N in the CCMV- and CMMV-infected mung bean via enhanced growth, nodulation and levels of ureide and AA in the leaves and nodules. Together, these observations suggest the fertilization with Si + N exclusively in virus-free cowpea and yardlong bean crops. However, Si + N fertilization must be encouraged in virus-endangered mung bean crops to enhance growth, nodulation and N-metabolism. It is noteworthy to see the enhanced nodulation of the three Vigna taxa in the presence of 10 mM KNO₃. Full article

Most often, organic farming focuses on the improvement of management practices such as nutrient application and pest control, and very seldom deals with variety improvement or breeding. Because it has been dependent on commercially-available varieties developed under conventional high-input methods, traits are expressed resulting in low yields that are commonly attributed to organic farming practices rather than to the adaptability of the cultivar to the system. A research program in the Philippines involving several regions and institutions has pioneered in the evaluation and improvement of varieties through breeding under low-input organic conditions. After making several crosses, pedigree selection, replicated yield and on-farm trials, promising and potential varieties were developed and identified in squash, cucumber, lettuce and yardlong bean. The most promising yield advantages over the respective check varieties ranged up to 47% in squash, 31% in yardlong bean, 42% in lettuce, and 43% in cucumber. Pest and disease resistance were also considered during the selection process, and top performers were moderately to highly resistant. General acceptability in appearance, taste and marketability provided additional selection criteria for considering the top performers and potential varieties. Commercial varieties developed and performing well under conventional high-input methods were mostly not suitable under organic low-input conditions. Hence, breeding under organic low-input conditions is a must to achieve high yield in organic farming systems. Full article

Yardlong bean (Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis) plants with virus-like systemic mottling and leaf distortion were observed in both experimental and commercial fields in Aragua State, Venezuela. Symptomatic leaves were shown to contain carlavirus-like particles. RT-PCR analysis with carlavirus-specific primers was positive in all tested samples. Nucleotide sequences of the obtained amplicons showed 84%–74% similarity to corresponding sequences of Cowpea mild mottle virus (CPMMV) isolates deposited in the GenBank database. This is the first report of CPMMV in Venezuela and is thought to be the first report of CPMMV infecting yardlong bean. Full article