Heterodera glycines race 2 and the yield of common bean in Puerto Rico

Heterodera glycines, a destructive pathogen of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.), was recently discovered in Puerto Rico. Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) can also be a host for H. glycines, but there are no reports of the effect of H. glycines on seed yield of bean. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the Puerto Rico race-2 population of H. glycines on yield components of common bean. Three resistant and three non-resistant bean lines were exposed to three infestation densities (0, 4,000, and 8,000 eggs and juveniles per pot) of H. glycines race 2. A factorial arrangement of lines and infestation densities was used in a randomized complete block design with six replications in a greenhouse in Isabela, Puerto Rico, in 2000. Data for seed number, pod number, and seed yield per plant were collected. H. glycines had no effect on any yield component. Observed differences in yield components were due to genotypic factors unrelated to H. glycines. Initial conclusions indicate that H. glycines will not affect yield of common bean in Puerto Rico. Follow-up studies of common bean and H. glycines, using course-textured soils, are recommended.