ABSTRACT
Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.; 2n = 2x = 22) is the most important edible food legume. It represents 50% of the grain legumes consumed worldwide. In some countries, such as Brazil and Mexico, it is the primary source of protein in the human diet. As such, common bean is a very important nonprocessed food crop in third world countries and contributes significantly to the world’s protein diet. The importance of this crop as an international protein source is reflected by the fact that the dry bean export market alone has a value of $1.8 billion to the U.S. economy (1). In addition, the cash value of the crop at the U.S. farm gate is $1 billion. Lately, domestic bean consumption has increased because of the rising importance of ethnic foods, high levels of certain minerals and vitamins, and the perceived health benefits related to the blood-cholesterol-lowering effects of beans (2,3).
