Abstract
Background: Drought is a major constraint affecting the seed yield of common bean in smallholder farmers’ fields in Malawi. Therefore, there is a need to develop genotypes that can perform well under drought conditions. The study was conducted to assess the variability of common bean genotypes under stressed and optimum soil moisture conditions. Methods: Forty-three common bean genotypes were evaluated under low and optimum soil moisture in a split-plot pot experiment in 2017. Data were collected at flowering stage on five root traits and seed weight. Result: Highly significant (P less than 0.01) differences were observed among the genotypes and the genotype × water treatment interactions for the root traits and seed weight. Water stress increased hypocotyl root number, basal root number and basal root growth angle by 127.1, 11.3 and 46.1% respectively, while hypocotyl root length, basal root whorl number and seed weight were reduced by 7.1, 1.9 and 9.4% respectively. Broad sense heritability and genetic advance (%) was highest for hypocotyl root length. Genotypes CER-78, SAB-560 and SER-125 were considered tolerant to soil moisture stress and should therefore be tested in various drought conditions for release and used for genetic enhancement focusing on root traits and seed yield.
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