Scientists have developed four new varieties of long beans that are resistant to pests. As detailed by University of California, Riverside via Phys.org, the new varieties could allow farmers to grow more resilient crops while also lessening their reliance on pesticides.
In order to develop the new varieties, researchers at the UC Riverside collaborated with researchers at the UC Cooperative Extension in Fresno. Using a $400,000 grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the scientists crossed local long beans with African cowpeas, which are known for their resistance to pests.
The results were three varieties of long beans that are resistant to aphids and one variety that is resistant to root-knot nematodes.
Their work was published in the Journal of Plant Registrations in a paper titled, "Registration of four pest-resistant long bean germplasm lines."
In interviewing long bean growers, the team found that long beans, which are packed with essential nutrients, required more pesticides than any of the farmers' other crops.
"Local consumers are aware of how much these beans get sprayed, so they're reluctant to buy the beans. Consequently, the farmers are struggling to sell this product," said UC Riverside plant geneticist Bao Lam Huynh, first author of the paper.
The consumers may have good reason to be worried — pesticides are generally made from toxic chemicals that kill and repel insects. While governments have regulatory bodies that have deemed ones currently in use safe for humans at certain levels, pesticides have still been connected to chronic diseases, including cancers and neurological disorders.
Moreover, pesticides are bad for the environment as a whole, as they kill crucial pollinators and insects they are intended to kill. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 35% of the world's food crops need pollinators to grow.
By creating a long bean variety that needs less pesticide treatment, the scientists hope to create a product that is easier to grow, easier to sell, and easier on the environment.
"We want growers to see all the benefits of these new varieties, such as cleaner air from fewer pesticides, less expensive production, safer food, and hopefully, increased demand," said Huynh in the Phys.org post.
Now, the team has set a new goal: producing a long bean variety that is resistant to both aphids and nematodes.
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