STUDY OF GENETIC DIVERSITY OF SOME BEAN POPULATIONS IN ALBANIA

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), represents a high genetic diversity with importance for agricultural Albanian production. In the Gene Bank of the Agricultural University of Tirana (AUT), a rich collection of bean germplasm is preserved. Exploration, collection and conservation, of genetic resources are some of the main purposes of plant genetic resources evaluation programs. For this reason, during 2008-2009 collection missions were undertaken on mountainous sites of the country. Collected common bean samples were -cultivated and in the same time evaluated and characterized. Field tests took place during 2010, at the Experimental Station of AUT. The morphological characterization was done according to the IPGRI- “Descriptors List for Bean” for characteristic as: plant data (growth type, colour of flower, days to flower, and duration of plant period); leaf data (shape, persistence, eradiation); pod data (pods per plant, position, colour, pod length, width, cross-section). Seed characteristic evaluated were: main colour, width, height, colour of helium, etc. Results taken were analyzed for possible relation between characters in bean populations. Hierarchical Cluster Statistical Method was used to observe relation and distance among bean populations in this study. We observed differences between populations and sometimes within the same population of common bean, collected in different places. Pronounced differences were present between bean populations for flowering and days till flowering, which is represented with amplitude 17 ? 43 days. Differences were observed for pod number and number of seeds per pod. The results of this study will serve as additional information for Gene Bank and for future plant improvement programs.