Innovative breeding in French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L., 2n=22) of family Fabaceae is a nutritious vegetable consumed as tender pods, shelled beans and dry beans. It has many synonyms like snap bean, kidney bean, haricot bean and also called rajmash in Hindi. French bean has evolved from wild growing vine distributed in the high lands of Middle-America and Andes. These two domestications led to two groups of cultivars with contrasting agronomic characteristics. During this evolution, some marked changes has affected this plant from climbing to dwarf plants has taken place both in the middle American and Andean domestication centres (Schoonhoven and Voysest, 1991). The French bean is one of the most important leguminous vegetables. It is grown for the tender vegetable, shelled green beans and dry beans. In India it is grown for tender vegetable, while in the USA it is grown for processing in large quantities. Green beans are found in two major groups, bush beans and pole beans. Bush beans are short plants, growing to approximately two feet in height, without requiring supports. They generally reach maturity and produce all of their fruit in a relatively short period of time.