Two New Climbing Bean Varieties Adapted to the Milpa System in the Highlands of

Juan M. Osorno1*, Phil McClean1, Julio C. Villatoro2, Angela N. Miranda2, Jessica Moscoso2, Karen Agreda2, Luis F. Aldana2.

1 Department of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo-ND 2 Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Agropecuaria (ICTA), Guatemala

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Grain Legumes Guatemala Most Populated (15.4 million) and Poorest Country

40% of Population: 0-14 years old in Central America 55% of Population: 15-64 years old Northern Lowlands 65% of Population lives in the highlands • 32% Extreme poor • 46% Poor • 30% Access to assets Western Highlands 49% Stunted 26% Extreme poor • Poverty density low • 47% Poor • 7-83 Poor/km2 • 18% Access to assets 67% Stunted Poverty density high • 74-270 Poor/km2

Adopted from: USAID: Guatemala Strategic Review, Feed the Future, October, 2010

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Grain Legumes

Slide from P. McClean Poverty/Malnutrition in Guatemala

• 60% of population still live in rural areas. • 48% indigenous population. • 42% suffers chronic malnutrition (4th highest in world). Quiché y Totonicapán departments are the most critical. • 2015 census: height of Guatemalan female children is on average 7cm less than the global reference. • Gross National Income: US$2,740 • 53% in poverty • Climate Challenges: Drought and flooding

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Grain Legumes Guatemala Poverty and Malnutrition in Rural Regions

Oct - Nov Dec - Feb March April - Sept Milpa cycle Harvest Fallow Planting Growth

Malnutrition Moderate to Low Low Low Moderate to High

Bean availability Moderate Low None None Beans • A valuable cash crop during the year Diet • Unbalanced: 95% maize, 5% beans • Optimum: 75% maize, 25% beans Adage • “Tortillas and salt is the only thing we need.”

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Grain Legumes

Slide from P. McClean Dry Bean Area (1000 ha) in Seed Yield Change in Beans in Central America (1980 and 2010) Central America (1980 vs. 2010)

Slides made by J. Beaver

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Grain Legumes Intercropping (Milpa) System in the western Highlands of Guatemala

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Grain Legumes Common Bean Milpa Cropping System in Central America

Milpa System • Beans and maize intercropping • Component of old cropping systems • Mexico and Central America • Aztec and Mayan civilizations • Still used by poor farmers in the region • Major source of protein, calories • Two major milpa systems: • Direct: maize and beans planted simultaneously • Relay: Maize planted first, then beans few weeks later. • Other crops such as pumpking, peas, and faba beans also included within the Milpa system in some cases.

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Grain Legumes Climbing beans in Guatemala

• All type IV growth habit: aggressive climbers • Mostly medium-size black beans – Bolonillos • Other Phaseolus species – P. coccineus L. – P. dumosus L. • Planting to harvest: ~180 days! • Susceptible to several fungal diseases and insects • Worldwide: less breeding/improvement efforts and resources devoted to climbing beans vs. bush-type beans • Preferred market class locally: Bolonillo • Less growers interested in beans because bean climbing aggressiveness causes severe damage to the maize

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Grain Legumes Cultivar Development

• First climbing bean improvement efforts started in ~2004 at ICTA by Dr. L. Fernando Aldana (retired in 2015). – Main target breeding traits: climbing aggressiveness, earliness, seed yield and quality, and disease resistance. • Additional support came from LIL-NDSU-ICTA partnership (SO1.A1) in 2012. • Bulk populations were kept and selected by Dr. Aldana. Additional selection and purification was made between 2012-2016. • 2013 to 2016: Multi-location field testing under Milpa system: – Farmer’s yield trials at ~15 locations/year: 9 breeding lines and a local check – Farmer’s validation plots at ~10 locations (larger plot area): 1 breeding line next to a local check • 2015-2017: seed production/multiplication.

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Grain Legumes Germplasm Collection 2004

ICTA Utatlán (CH2004-25) ICTA Labor Ovalle (CH2004-101) (Accesión voluble Utatlán)* ICTA Altense 2005 (Accesión voluble LO)* ICTA Hunapú

F1 SI 2006 F1 SI

Indiv. selections and bulk-harvest based on disease resistance/tolerance, 2007-2012 agronomic value, and climbing agressiveness

Multi-location yield testing of 2013-2016 superior genotypes

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Grain Legumes Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Grain Legumes Maize Grain Yield under Milpa System (17 locations)

Percent Genotypes -1 Grain Yield (t ha ) Reduction

UTATLÁN

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Grain Legumes Maize % Lodging (17 Locations)

Genotypes % Lodging

Local Check

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Grain Legumes Farmer’s Field Trials (17 locations)

Percent Genotypes Reduction

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Grain Legumes Farmer’s Validation Plots ICTA-Labor Ovalle vs. Local Check (18 locations) ICTA LABOR OVALLE Local Check Seed Yield Difference Location Kg/ha-1 kg/ha-1 kg/ha-1

Olintepeque, 795 -682 113 , 227 181 Quetzaltenango 46 , Quetzaltenango 273 227 46 San Juan O, Quetzaltenango 227 159 68 San Juan O, Quetzaltenango -181 140 41 Paxtoca, Totonicapán 181 136 45 San Andrés, Totonicapán 315 317 -2 San Francisco, Totonicapán 181 -68 113 San Fco, Totonicapán 158 91 67 , Totonicapán -995 340 655 Sibinal, San Marcos 340 158 182 Tacaná, San Marcos 468 385 83 Tacaná, San Marcos 385 375 10 Tejutla, San Marcos 375 271 104 Sibinal, San Marcos 448 416 32 , Huehuetenango 680 503 177 Aguacatan, Huehuetenango 470 380 90 Sum 6699 4829 1870 Mean 394 284 110

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Grain Legumes Farmer’s Validation Plots ICTA-Utatlan vs local check (18 locations)

ICTA UTATLAN Local Check Location Seed Yield Difference Kg/ha -1 Kg/ha-1 kg/ha-1

Olintepeque, Quetzaltenango 272 159 113

S J Ostuncalco, Quetzaltenango 136 91 45 San Carlos Sija, Quetzaltenango 181 136 45 San Juan O, Quetzaltenango 385 113 272 San Juan O, Quetzaltenango 294 158 136 Paxtoca, Totonicapán 591 568 23 San Andrés, Totonicapán 182 227 -45 San Fco, Totonicapán 795 454 341 San Fco, Totonicapán 114 91 23 Momos, Totonicapán 136 114 22 Sibinal, San Marcos 121 104 17 Tacaná, San Marcos -71 -82 -11 Tacaná, San Marcos 162 177 -15 Tejutla, San Marcos -623 -552 71 Sibinal, San Marcos 372 291 81 Chiantla, Huehuetenango 441 503 -62 Aguacatan, Huehuetenango 420 380 40 Sum 5296 4200 1096 Mean 312 247 64

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Grain Legumes • Feedback from Farmers:

• “I like the earliness of ICTA-Utatlan because I can harvest much early than my current variety. It also facilitates my maize harvest.”

• “These new cultivars have a less aggressive climbing ability compared with my variety and therefore, my maize doesn’t lodge and I can have good production of both maize and beans.”

• “I like the culinary quality of the new cultivars. They both have good flavor, texture, and brine color.”

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Grain Legumes March-2017: Seed Distribution With Partners

• Buena Milpa project (USAID/CIMMYT): – ~3,100 kg of each variety (5 lb. bags) – ~5,700 households benefited – 5 Departments in the highlands

• MASFRIJOL (USAID/LIL/MSU): – ~100 kg of each variety (2 lb. bags) – ~116 households benefited – 5 Departments in the highlands

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Grain Legumes Conclusions

• Thanks to previous efforts made by Dr. Aldana and later efforts from this project, two improved varieties are available to the growers in the highlands of Guatemala. • Growers are very happy with the reduced climbing aggressiveness and earliness of these new varieties – Less maize lodging – A more balance yield of both maize and beans (food security!) – Early availability of food (protein) for the household. • Adoption studies will be needed to assess the impact/acceptance of these new varieties.

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Grain Legumes Thank you! • Official release: March 9 2017.

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Grain Legumes