Performance and adaptability of new yard-long bean variety: Gannoruwa A9 MAE

Production and marketing of yardlongbean in Sri Lanka are hindered by low yield, collar rot disease and poor shelf life of pods. Studies on yield, adaptability, quality and collar rot resistanceof locally developed yardlong bean lines were carried outfor seven consecutive seasons from Yala 2010 to 2014 Yala. Preliminary yield and yield attributes were evaluated in replicated trials from 2010- 2011 at the Horticultural Crops Research and Development Institute (HORDI). Stability and adaptability of five selectedlines were evaluated at six research centers and forty five farmer locations representing major agro ecological regionsfrom Maha 2011/12 to Yala 2014. Significant varietal and seasonal effect were found for number of pods per plant and single plant yield. Line 39- 9 gavethe highestpod number (40) and single plant yield (731.8g). Higher yield stability was recorded in lines 39-12 and 39-9 over locations. Lines 39-9 and39-12 showedwide adaptability to diverse agro-ecological zones in on farm yield evaluations. There was no Genetic X Environment interaction over locations. The line 39-9 showed field resistances to collar rot disease over seasons. Line 39-9 exhibited better acceptance in sensory evaluation and along shelf-life under both ambient and refrigerated conditions. Farmers preferred line 39-9 owing to pod characters and whereas consumers preferred it due to pod colour, taste and keeping quality. Yardlong bean line39-9, produced high yield (20.3-25.3 t/ha), showedfield resistance to collar rot disease, high adaptability and producedlong fleshy green pods with greater shelf-life. Hence, line 39-9 was released as “Gannoruwa A9 Mae” for islandwide cultivation.