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Root Characteristics of Black Beans. I. Relationship of Root Size to Lodging and Seed Yield¹

The relationship of root size to seed yield and lodging of two black bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars, ‘Black Turtle Soup’ (BTS) and ‘Strain 39,’ was compared with that of four black-seeded lines (70001, 70002, 70003, and 70004) under both field and greenhouse conditions at different growth stages. Root weight was significantly higher for the four lines than for the two cultivars in the field, but not in the greenhouse. Shoot:root ratios were significantly lower for all the lines than for BTS in both environments and for Strain 39 under field conditions.

Combined field data for 2 years showed all four lines had significantly higher seed and biological yields than the two cultivars, although no differences were measured for harvest index. In both years the four lines lodged less than the two cultivars.

Uprooting resistance of all lines was significantly higher than for BTS and Strain 39. None of the parameters measured showed a stage x genotype interaction, except for shoot:root ratio in the greenhouse.

Our results suggest that a larger root biomas may be an important component of lodging resistance in black beans. Erect plant types would result in decreased yield losses by direct harvesters.

Key Words: Dry beans • Uprightness • Uprooting resistance • Lodging • Phaseolus vulgaris L.

² Graduate student, professor, and experimentalist, respectively, Dep. of Vegetable Crops, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY 14853.

³ Assistant professor, Deps. of Plant Breeding and Biometry and Agronomy, Cornell Univ., Ithaca.

Received for publication May 18, 1979.