Eldorado

Bean

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'La Paz' and 'Windbreaker'

Summary: At full flowering, the upper side of the leaf for 'Eldorado' is medium green with medium to strong rugosity whereas it is dark green with weak to medium rugosity for 'La Paz'. The terminal leaf for 'Eldorado' is shorter than that of 'La Paz' and wider than that of 'Windbreaker'. The position of the inflorescences on the plants of 'Eldorado' is intermediate, within and above the foliage, whereas the inflorescences are predominantly within the foliage for 'La Paz'. At fresh market maturity, the pod of 'Eldorado' is shorter than the pod of both reference varieties. The pod of 'Eldorado' is wider and thicker than the pod of 'La Paz' and narrower than the pod of 'Windbreaker'. The degree of curvature for the pod of 'Eldorado' is absent or very weak whereas it is weak for 'La Paz' and weak to medium for 'Windbreaker'. The pod beak for 'Eldorado' is longer than that of 'Windbreaker'. The seed weight for 'Eldorado' is greater than that of 'La Paz'. The seed of 'Eldorado' is narrower and shorter than that of 'Windbreaker'.

Description:

PLANT: dwarf growth type, indeterminate growth type, erect branches

LEAF: medium green on upper side, medium to strong rugosity
TERMINAL LEAFLET: quadrangular shape, long tip

FLOWERING: flowers mid-season
INFLORESCENCE: intermediate position (within and above foliage) at full flowering
FLOWER: medium to large bracts, white standard and wing

POD: ovate shape in cross-section, green ground colour of weak intensity, secondary colour absent, stringiness of ventral suture present, absent or very weak curvature, acute to truncate distal part with beak excluded, absent or very weak curvature of beak, smooth or slightly rough surface
SEED: pinto type, rectangular shape in longitudinal section, narrow elliptic shape in cross-section
SEED COAT: beige, secondary brown mottled pattern on entire grain

Origin & Breeding History: 'Eldorado' (experimental designation PO7863) originated from a controlled cross conducted in the fall of 2004 between AN-37 and PO2630. The breeding work was conducted under the direction of James D. Kelly at Michigan State University, in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. In the spring of 2005, F1 plants were grown and selfed in a green house in East Lansing, Michigan. The resulting F2 family was grown in Saginaw, Michigan, USA. 108 plants were advanced using single seed descent to develop a recombinant inbred line population. In the winter of 2005, two cycles of single seed descent were conducted in East Lansing, Michigan. In the summer of 2006, a single plant was grown and the seeds mass selected as an F4:5 progeny row in Saginaw. In 2007, an F4:6 breeding line, designated as PO7863, was entered in replicated yield trials at Montcalm, Michigan. The line was further advanced from F7 to F10 and assessed for yield, canning quality and disease resistance from 2008 to 2011.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Eldorado' was conducted by Bioflora Inc., during the 2017 growing season at the University of Guelph Huron Research Station in Exeter, Ontario. The trial was conducted using a RCB design containing 4 replicates per variety. Each replicate consisted of 2 rows spaced 76 cm apart, with a row length of 5 metres. Measured characteristics were based on 20 measurements per variety, except seed weight, which was based on 4 measurements per variety. Mean differences were significant at the 5% probability level based on a paired Student`s t-test. Results were supported by the official technical examination report 201500008, purchased from the Plant Variety Protection Office in Beltsville, Maryland, USA.

Comparison tables for 'Eldorado' with reference varieties 'La Paz' and 'Windbreaker'

Terminal leaf length (cm)

Terminal leaf width (cm)

Pod length (excluding beak)(cm)

Pod width (cm)

Pod thickness (cm)

Pod beak length (cm)

Seed weight (g/100 seeds)

Seed width (in cross-section) (cm)

Seed length (cm)

Click on image for larger view

Bean: 'Eldorado' (left) with reference varieties 'La Paz' (centre) and 'Windbreaker' (right)

Click on image for larger view

Bean: 'Eldorado' (left) with reference varieties 'La Paz' (centre) and 'Windbreaker' (right)