Genomic-Assisted Breeding Strategies for Biotic Stress in Common Bean: Progress and Prospects

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a vital productive pulse crop that is being cultivated globally in cool-season conditions. Addressing biotic stressors continues to be a crucial obstacle in maximizing the productive potential of beans. From this chapter, a thorough overview is provided on the current progress of genome-enabled breeding strategies in developing bean resistance cultivars against various diseases such as anthracnose, angular leaf spot, bean common mosaic virus, halo bacterial blight, common bacterial blight, root rots, rust, white mold, bean golden yellow mosaic virus, and bean common mosaic necrosis viruses. Over the past 20 years, the common bean improvement program has utilized a marker-assisted selection technique, which involves identifying and utilizing molecular markers that are connected to valuable genes. Further, notable advancement in terms of germplasm enhancement and understanding the genetics for breeding resistance against many insects and pests, including the bean fly, thrips, whiteflies, bean pod weevil, tropical bruchid, leafhoppers, and root-knot nematode. Utilizing common bean cultivars that are resistant is essential for implementing a robust, cost-effective, and comprehensive pest management. In addition, collaboration between academics, research institutions, and breeding programs has facilitated the development of extensive common bean genomic resources, including genetic maps, whole genome sequences, transcriptome profiles, and databases. These resources are extremely important for breeders to comprehend the genetic foundation of resistance to biotic stress and make sensible choices in breeding programs. The mining of a considerable volume of genomic data has resulted in a profound revolution in the broader domain of plant breeding. The accessibility of the complete genome sequence empowers researchers to comprehend and harness the genetic variants and their influence on multifaceted characteristics, hence helping plant breeders to carry out more focused and precise investigations in line with global requirements.