Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** beans (phaseolus SPP.) are among…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** beans (phaseolus SPP.) are among the most economically and nutritionally important crops world-wide. Beans possessing the popping trait (can be popped much like popcorn) hold significant promise for development of new foods, particularly snack foods, that can help combat significant national health concerns, particularly in school-aged children, such as obesity and diabetes. Advanced breeding lines will be prepared for varietal release while other breeding lines will build the foundation of new bean cultivars that are highly nutritious and have properties particularly amenable for generation of high-protein, high nutrition snack foods, while at the same time protecting the environment and promoting healthy soils in our farming systems. This project will address those goals by accomplishing four objectives that focus on: 1) improving bean advanced breeding lines with the popping and other enhanced qualities/traits; 2) determining field performance of accessions and advanced and newly developed breeding lines under varying field conditions, focusing on agronomic and bean quality traits; 3) developing nutritious snack foods based on the project's advanced breeding lines, focusing on popping trait-derived properties while maintaining high nutrition; and 4) generating consumer acceptance data for the new advanced bean breeding lines/varieties and food products developed, evaluating economics of commercial popping bean production and providing information regarding market development potential. Dissemination to stakeholders and the public will be via extension activities.