Registration of ‘Zorro’ Black Bean

Abstract

‘Zorro’ black bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) (Reg. No. CV‐288, PI 656394), developed by the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station was released in 2008 as an upright, midseason, disease‐resistant cultivar. Zorro was developed from a backcross population using pedigree selection to the F4 followed by pure line selection for disease and agronomic and quality traits. Zorro combines high yield potential with erect architecture and is among the highest‐yielding contemporary black and navy bean cultivars. Zorro has excellent resistance to lodging, making it suitable for direct harvest under narrow production systems. The upright architecture also contributes to avoidance to white mold [caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary], a disease aggravated by narrow rows. Zorro possesses partial resistance to common bacterial blight [caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli (Smith) Vauterin et al.] and resistance to specific races of rust [incited by Uromyces appendiculatus (Pers.:Pers.) Unger], virus, and anthracnose [caused by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum (Sacc. & Magnus) Lams.‐Scrib.]. Zorro has a small opaque dry bean seed typical of the black bean seed class that meets the standards of national and international markets. The canning quality of Zorro is equivalent to other black bean cultivars as it retains more black color following processing.