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Forty accessions, forming a core collection of mainly bush type of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) germplasm in the Netherlands, were evaluated for 14 qualitative and quantitative traits at the Agricultural University, Wageningen (WAU), the Netherlands in 1992. These and an additional 117 Dutch accessions, mainly collected in private home gardens, were also evaluated for phaseolin seed protein pattern, and morphological and agronomic traits at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT, Spanish acronym), Cali, Columbia between 1987 and 1997. Multivariate and principal component analyses at both WAU and CIAT indicated existence of one large group with no discernable patterns among Dutch common bean collections of landraces, garden forms and cultivars. However, when phaseolin, an evolutionary, biochemical marker, was used as an initial classification criterion followed by use of morphological markers, the two major gene pools; Andean and Middle American with two races in each (Chile and Nueva Granada in Andean, and Durango and Mesoamerica in Middle American) were identified

The first introduction of common bean from Central/South America into Western Europe most likely took place around 1500. The attractive bean seeds and their easy transportation warranted numerous additional introductions, not only from the Americas, but also from other areas where the common bean had been introduced. Bean seeds also must have been transported all over Europe both locally and internationally. Natural and human selection took place in and among introductions as well as in hybrid populations. Strong human selection may have led to pure garden forms which often occur in The Netherlands. In the period 1945–1948 a dry-bean collection of some 1500 accessions was made in The Netherlands. These have been classified into various criteria: 1. landraces, ‘primitive’ garden forms and cultivars, 2. (semi)climbing or bush types, 3. various seed colour types, including whitish, brownish, yellowish, black and variegated

Forty accessions, forming a core collection of mainly bush type of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) germplasm in the Netherlands, were evaluated for 14 qualitative and quantitative traits at the Agricultural University, Wageningen (WAU), the Netherlands in 1992. These and an additional 117 Dutch accessions, mainly collected in private home gardens, were also evaluated for phaseolin seed protein pattern, and morphological and agronomic traits at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT, Spanish acronym), Cali, Columbia between 1987 and 1997. Multivariate and principal component analyses at both WAU and CIAT indicated existence of one large group with no discernable patterns among Dutch common bean collections of landraces, garden forms and cultivars. However, when phaseolin, an evolutionary, biochemical marker, was used as an initial classification criterion followed by use of morphological markers, the two major gene pools; Andean and Middle American with two races in each (Chile and Nueva Granada in Andean, and Durango and Mesoamerica in Middle American) were identified

The first introduction of common bean from Central/South America into Western Europe most likely took place around 1500. The attractive bean seeds and their easy transportation warranted numerous additional introductions, not only from the Americas, but also from other areas where the common bean had been introduced. Bean seeds also must have been transported all over Europe both locally and internationally. Natural and human selection took place in and among introductions as well as in hybrid populations. Strong human selection may have led to pure garden forms which often occur in The Netherlands. In the period 1945–1948 a dry-bean collection of some 1500 accessions was made in The Netherlands. These have been classified into various criteria: 1. landraces, ‘primitive’ garden forms and cultivars, 2. (semi)climbing or bush types, 3. various seed colour types, including whitish, brownish, yellowish, black and variegated