Northwestern Himalayan common beans: A treasure trove for breeding resistant bean cultivars for multiple foliar pathogens

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris. L) is attacked by a lot of important foliar diseases like anthracnose, bean common mosaic virus, angular leaf spot, bean golden yellow mosaic virus, and common bacterial blight. In the present study, we exploited anthracnose resistant germplasm of 122 common bean genotypes for the identification of broad spectrum and durable resistance for multiple foliar diseases. We utilized linked molecular markers and found some promising genotypes with 11 resistance genes. These genotypes possess significant potential as parental lines for gene pyramiding strategies, to enhance disease resistance in common beans. We also highlighted the need for new generation markers over SCAR markers to streamline genotypic screening and expedite the breeding of disease-resistant common bean varieties. Our phenotypic studies identified a few bean landraces highly resistant to the new BCMV NL-1n strain. Consequently, the genome wide association study also confirms the presence of already identified resistance genes. Additionally, our study reconfirms the presence of the recently identified bc-urgene in our material. The bean landraces of northern India contain novel regions associated with BCMV resistance on Pv03, Pv05, Pv04, Pv06, Pv07, Pv09, and Pv11. This study provides the list of bean genotypes that can be used to breed resistant cultivars and may also contain new resistance genes to a most important viral disease of common beans. •We have identified common bean genotypes containing 11 resistance genes against multiple pathogens.•Bean landraces from northern India contained novel regions associated with BCMV NL-1n resistance.•GWAS confirmed the presence of bc-4 gene in the study material.•The study provides a valuable list of bean genotypes that can be used in breeding programs to develop resistant cultivars.