Assessing landraces and varieties of beans (Phaseolus spp L.) using molecular markers and agronomical traits as a source of new germplasm

The conservation and research of genetic resources of key crops and their use in the global farming system present the main trends for developing sustainable agriculture and producing healthy food products. This study aims to investigate the available genetic resources of (Phaseolus spp. L.) landraces and breeding lines/varieties to identify promising genotypes with a view to their further use for breeding as a source of new germplasm. Investigation and evaluation of 18 accessions of Phaseolus spp. L. from Bulgaria for economically important agronomic traits and molecular approaches using ISSR and SCAR marker systems were carried out. The genetic characterization by seven SCAR markers was applied to the selected genotypes to determine the genes associated with the resistance to economically important diseases. The population structure of Phaseolus spp. L. was determined using the grouping method based on Bayesian models based on six ISSR markers and STRUCTURE software. Based on a comparison between the ISSR molecular marker and descriptors results and the higher Q value, the no admixture ancestry model and correlated allele frequencies were the parameters combination selected for describing the population structure of the selected genotypes. The correspondence between the ISSR-based analysis and the descriptors showed that 14 (77.78%) of the 18 Phaseolus accessions groups were in the same cluster in both methods. Promising genotypes have been identified based on the applied integrated research approach - phenotypic and