Genetic parameters and selection of common bean lines with high nutritional and agronomic quality

The aim of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) breeding has always been to increase agronomic quality. Recently, the nutritional quality of the grain has been gaining importance. The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for traits related to nutritional and agronomic quality and to select lines for an assessment stage in multiple environments and/or for use as new parents. Initially, 37 lines were evaluated in three environments for nine agronomic and nutritional traits. Of these lines, 15 stood out and were assessed in another five environments. The mixed model (restricted maximum likelihood–best linear unbiased prediction) procedure and multivariate analysis were adopted for processing the phenotypic data. There was genetic variability among the lines assessed for all the traits. The heritability estimates for the agronomic traits ranged from 29% for plant architecture to 94% for reaction to anthracnose. Heritability estimates for the nutritional traits were 77% for grain iron concentration and 79% for zinc concentration. Multivariate analysis, based on all the traits and on all the environments (eight), identified three groups of lines and allowed selection of the lines CNFC 18092, CNFC 18097, CNFC 18114, and BRS Sublime to carry out new crosses, for they showed specific superiority for some traits and the possibility of greater genetic diversity in the populations. The lines CNFC 18091, CNFC 18092, and CNFC 18106 were selected for assessment in experiments in multiple environments because they combine high agronomic and nutritional quality. Core Ideas There was genetic variability among the lines assessed for agronomic and nutritional traits. Developing lines that combine nutritional quality with high agronomic performance is possible through breeding. This work uses a mixed model and multivariate analysis to identify lines with high performance. Three groups could be distinguished through similarity of response and agreement with the genealogy of the lines.