Personally, I find it hard to be productive outside in summer when temperatures climb to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Luckily, I can take refuge in an air-conditioned home, car, or store to save me from the blistering heat. However, so many plants endure the taxing temperature on a daily basis, sitting immotile under the searing sun. The bean plant, for instance, sees its productivity decline when facing such hostile weather. Nonetheless, in the midst of all of the sun’s rays is a ray of hope for beans around the world.

This ray of hope comes from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), which has recently released new kidney bean germplasm lines. The new lines of kidney beans, known as TARS HT-1 and TARS HT-2, show high yields despite soaring daytime temperatures. The difference between HT-1 and HT-2 lies in nighttime productivity, as HT-1 thrives under high temperatures after dark, while HT-2 prospers under moderate nighttime temperatures.

Researchers at Cornell University, the University of Tennessee, and the University of Puerto Rico are also developing strains of bean plants that will not only be resistant to heat and drought, but also disease. Resistance to bacterial blight disease will be particularly beneficial to both the crop and the farmer, as loss in yields would be greatly minimized.  The research will be published in an upcoming issue of HortScience.

Discussion Question: What might be the mechanism underlying the difference between TARS HT-1 and TARS HT-2?

News Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100630115141.htm

ARS Publication announcement: http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?SEQ_NO_115=248761