ChileanJAR

Fifty-two accessions ofnine commercial types ofbeans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) belonging to the Chilean strain were evaluated. The objectives ofthis study were to characterize and genetically identify the principal commercial classes, local selections and better varieties of Chilean beans by means of isozymes and RAPDs, and to compare these results with the morphological and agricultural characterization ofthe selected genotypes. The morphological analysis included 22 characteristics, the biochemical analysis 11 isozyme systems, and the molecular analysis 38 primers. The results indicated that the color ofthe bean is the only characteristic able to distinguish between commercial classes. On the other hand, the isozyme and RAPDswere not able to group the genotypes in accordance with the commercial c1asses. The genetic diversity within each commercial class was fairly tight for the traits analyzed with the degree ofsimilarity reaching 100% in sorne cases. Among the commercial classes, the Tórtola showed the greatest similarity (98%), while the most disparate commercial classes were the Coscorrón, Sapito and Cuyano, with 95% similarity. It was determined that sorne ofthe enzyme systems and specific primers could complement the morphological and agricultural identification to be used in discriminating between varieties.