Registration of TARS‐LH1 pinto bean germplasm with resistance to the leafhopper pest

Leafhoppers (Empoasca spp.) cause significant yield reductions in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and are a particularly important constraint for organic producers. Genetic resistance would benefit both conventional and organic dry and snap bean production threatened by leafhopper damage. Improvement of Empoasca kraemeri leafhopper resistance in tropical germplasm has been successful, but resistance to Empoasca fabae in temperate germplasm has not been broadly pursued. TARS‐LH1 (Reg. no. GP‐306, PI 691505) is a pinto bean germplasm resistant to E. fabae and E. kraemeri. TARS‐LH1 has been adapted to both temperate and tropical growing environments and was developed through the introgression of leafhopper resistance from the Mesoamerican common bean race into the Durango common bean race. TARS‐LH1 also possesses drought tolerance and the I gene for resistance to Bean common mosaic virus, is a near‐commercial pinto bean seed type, and has produced seed yields greater than parental cultivars under leafhopper pressure. This germplasm was developed cooperatively by the USDA‐ARS, Michigan State University, the Ministry of Agriculture of Haiti, and the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez.