Abstract
Black and navy beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are economically important crops for US Agriculture and provide nutritious food for humans. These crops are predominantly grown in Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Washington states. We are interested in introducing these crops in Virginia as alternative summer crops. Four cultivars each of black (Eclipse, T-39, Zenith and Zorro) and navy bean (Alapena, Avalanche, Norstar, and Vista) were grown in the field at Randolph Farm of Virginia State University in Ettrick, Virginia during 2016. We planted these twice (May 26 and June 30) by using two inter-row spacings (37.5 and 75 cm). Results indicated that yields of black bean (1691 kg/ha) didn't differ significantly from that of navy bean (1402 kg/ha). Effects of cultivars and row spacings were not significant. Seed yield for May planting date (883 kg/ha) was significantly lower than that for June planting (2210 kg/ha). Concentrations of protein, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Al, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, fructose, glucose, sucrose, raffinose, stachyose, verbascose, total sugar, insoluble dietary fiber, and total dietary fiber in black and navy bean seeds were not different. Black bean had significantly higher soluble dietary fiber concentration (4.46%) as compared to navy bean (3.68%). Nutritional quality traits of black and navy bean seed produced in Virginia compared well with values in the literature. Based on desirable seed yield levels and nutritional quality, it was concluded that black and navy bean are potential new/alternate crops for Virginia and adjoining areas in the mid-Atlantic region of United States of America.
Highlights
Need for crop diversification is recognized as one of the important factors for production of adequate and nutritious food for the growing human population on a world-wide basis
New crops have been important to American agriculture as most crops currently grown in the United States were imports from different parts of the world
Fletcher (2002) indicated that at least 67% of the increased value of crop production in Australia over the period 1950-1992 was derived from new crops
Summary
Need for crop diversification is recognized as one of the important factors for production of adequate and nutritious food for the growing human population on a world-wide basis. This is especially true of US agriculture which depends upon a limited number of crops. New crops have been important to American agriculture as most crops currently grown in the United States were imports from different parts of the world. The importance of crop diversification in the success of Australian and Canadian agriculture is well documented. Fletcher (2002) indicated that at least 67% of the increased value of crop production in Australia over the period 1950-1992 was derived from new crops. Alternative crops research has been going on at Virginia State University since 1993 (Bhardwaj et al, 1996)
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