Protecting Long Beans From Aphids and Nematodes

tomwt — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 19:14:43 +0000

Protecting Long Beans From Aphids and Nematodes tomwt Wed, 12/04/2024 - 11:14 More CNAS in the Media Stacy Kish | CSA News December 04, 2024

CSA NEWS - Commercial markets are embracing traditionally ethnic vegetable crops, adding diversity to the food system. Long beans (Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis), which originated in Africa and have been refined through domestication in Southeast Asia, have an export value of $80 million. The edible pods are a symbol of luck and longevity, but more importantly, they pack a nutritious punch, offering a new food option, enriched in protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Despite these benefits, long beans have not broken into larger commercial markets because the current varieties require frequent applications of synthetic chemicals to manage aphids and root-knot nematodes, limiting marketability and opening the potential of pest resistance. Concerns with pesticide applications have affected consumer demand, and the acreage of long bean has been in decline.

A recent article in the Journal of Plant Registrations details the development by researchers at the University of California-Riverside of new long bean germplasm lines that resist aphids and nematodes.

"We are confident that once consumers become familiar with the new resistant varieties, the crop will gain momentum," says Bao-Lam Huynh, assistant professor in the Department of Nematology at the University of California-Riverside and first author on the paper.

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