1. The document discusses research activities on yardlong bean varieties conducted at BRAC Agricultural Research and Development Centre in Bangladesh. 2. Several improved yardlong bean varieties were developed including P12, Natun, Shova-1, Shova-2, BRAC-35, BRAC-03, TR-1, and TR-2. These varieties have attributes like higher yield, longer fruits, disease resistance, and early maturity. 3. A semi-indeterminate dwarf variety called YLB 01/15 was also developed that does not require staking and can be grown and harvested throughout the year.

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RESEARCH ACTIVITIES ON YARDLONG BEAN AT BRAC AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH &
DEVELOPMENT CENTRE (BARDC), BANGLADESH
By Dr. Sitesh Ch. Biswas
Yardlong bean is an important leguminous crop of the tropical countries and it is a very common vegetable cultivated by the farmers
of the South Asian countries including Bangladesh. Farmers of Bangladesh used to cultivate different types of land races or local
varieties of yardlong bean a few decades ago and those varieties were not only low yielding, these were almost seasonal type and also
susceptible to diseases. Fruits of these local varieties were relatively shorter and these varieties were usually cultivated in the
homestead areas. With the rapid advancement of commercial agriculture in Bangladesh now a good no. of commercial growers are
cultivating improved varieties of yardlong bean which are long fruited type and relatively higher yielding as well. Since yardlong bean
is a warm season crop, most of the farmers usually cultivate yardlong bean as a Kharif crop although the availability of few local
variety/varieties of yardlong bean is/are not uncommon in the early part of the winter i.e. in the off-season. Plants of the improved
varieties are usually grown through the support of “A” structured longer erected sticks to produce better yield. It can be mentioned
here that in Bangladesh, during the early part of the summer Nor‘Wester wind poses risk to yardlong bean cultivation as the high
speed wind usually cause damage to the yardlong bean crop by breaking the erected sticks usually used to provide support to the
yardlong bean plants. Yard long bean is a protein rich nutritious vegetable and pink coloured yardlong bean has more health benefits
as these varieties are the rich sources of ‘anthocianin’- a very common type of antioxidant. Basically yardlong bean is a relatively
short duration crop and its vigorous plants can survive easily in the poor quality soil of marginal type lands as well. Owing to its
shorter crop duration it easily fits into the existing cropping pattern of Bangladesh. Due to its hardy nature and relatively shorter crop
duration, yardlong bean is also considered as a ‘bioremediation crop’ as it absorbs heavy metal from the lands highly infested with
heavy metals. Moreover, as yardlong bean is a leguminous crop, it increases soil fertility by fixing atmospheric nitrogen. And
sometimes it is also cultivated as a green manure besides its main cultivation as vegetable crop. Trellis cultivation or cultivation of
yardlong bean through staking though very common, is a costlier and laborious option. On the other hand, cultivation of semi-
indeterminate type yardlong bean variety without trellis or staking is more easy and relatively cost saving option. Although fruits of
these semi indeterminate type yard long bean varieties are relatively shorter yet these fruits can easily be transported to the markets by
arranging them in box type containers. Even more for exporting purpose too much long size fresh yardlong bean fruits are undesirable
rather relatively shorter fruits can be accommodated easily in the transportable cartoons. And as these varieties can be grown without
erected sticks or trellis; intercropping with other crops is also possible. In Bangladesh deep green, pink and whitish green these 3 types

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of tender yardlong beans are sold in the market and mixing pink coloured beans with green or whitish green increase the selling rate of
yardlong bean in the fresh vegetable market. The tender fruits of yardlong bean are usually consumed as stir fried food item or used in
the soup. Fleshy type yard long beans are generally used in the curry while less fleshy type beans are used as stir fried food item.
Traditional type improved type high yielding yard long beans can be grown in the home gardens along the fence of the garden and
these climbing plants usually produce sufficient fruits at maturity while non climbing types can be grown both in the home garden as
well as in the roof garden. Since Among the different long fruited type varieties, ‘Kegornatki’ is otherwise an excellent variety in
terms of yield and fruit quality but this particular variety suffers badly by the Bacterial brown spot or common leaf blight disease
during the fruit maturity period. On the other hand BARDC developed lines are tolerant to common leaf blight disease. Again, since
yardlong bean itself is a wet tolerant vegetable, its availability in the kitchen market can be ensured by its careful cultivation in the
monsoon season. Considering the increasing demand of good quality yardlong variety in the domestic as well as in the foreign market
BRAC started its yardlong bean variety development during the year 2003-2004 and few improved yardlong lines have been
developed at BRAC Agricultural Research and Development Centre which has been presented in this short communication ( Table.1).
Table. 1. Brief history of the development of the promising yardlong bean lines.
Sl.
no
Code
no.
Name of
the lines
100- seed
wt.
(gm)
No. of
seeds/Kg
Breeding
technique
applied
No. of crossing
attempted
Year of
crossing or
other
technique
applied
Name of the
promising
plants/stocks
Remarks
01 YLB 06 P12 15.36 6510 Crossing between
Local X Jijiang
3. (LXJ), (LXK)
& (KXJ)
2002 Plant no. 12 from
the F3 population
Longer green fruits with
good fruit bearing habit;
fruits per plant 18-
20.Tolerant to common
leaf blight disease which
is prevalent in the
popular variety
‘Kegornatki’.
02 YLB 10 Natun 14.76 6775 Crossing between
Kegornatki X P12
Kegornatki X
P12
2010 Longer green fruits with
good fruit bearing habit.
03 YLB 04 Shova-1 10.85 9232 Crossing between
P12 (green fruited)
X Local Pink
Local Pink
Fruited X P12
and P12 X Local
2005 D. Red (III) plant Longer pink coloured
fruits with good fruit
bearing habit. High

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Fruited Pink Fruited yielding & tolerant to
leaf miner. More
tolerant to fungal
diseases.
04 YLB 05 Shova-2 14.43 6930 Crossing between
P12 (green fruited)
X Local Pink
Fruited
Do 2005 D. Red ( P1/1) Longer pink coloured
fruits with good fruit
bearing habit. High
yielding & tolerant to
leaf miner. Less tolerant
to fungal diseases.
05 YLB 02 BRAC-
35
15.86 6309 Introduction
followed by
selection
- 2013 *HNF stock Early season type longer
light green coloured
fruits with good fruit
bearing habit. Higher
yield & cold tolerant.
06 YLB 03 BRAC -
03
14.82 6747 Introduction
followed by
selection
- 2013 *HNF stock Early season type but a
bit late than BRAC-35.
Longer whitish green
coloured fruits with
good fruit bearing habit.
Cold tolerant line.
07 YLB 07 TR-1 15.96 6265 Introduction
followed by
selection
- 2014 *HNF stock Plants are less compact
type and lower no of
branches. Longer
whitish green coloured
fruits with moderate
fruit bearing habit.
Relatively cold tolerant
08 YLB 08 TR-2 16.77 5964 Introduction
followed by
selection
- 2014 *HNF stock Longer whitish green
coloured fruits with
good fruit bearing habit.
09 YLB 12 Greenish
BRAC-
15.86 6309 Slection from
BRAC-35
- 2015 Plant produced
greenish white
Longer greenish white
coloured fruits with

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35 coloured fruits good fruit bearing habit.
Cold tolerant
10 YLB 09 BRAC -
35 (Red)
14.76 6375 Slection from
BRAC- 35
Plant produced
reddish coloured
fruits
Longer reddish coloured
fruits with good fruit
bearing habit.
11 YLB 11 YLB
01/15
13.23 7558 Selection - 2016 *HNF stock with
good quality fruits
Semi-indeterminate
plant having relatively
short size fruits. Cold
tolerant line. It can be
cultivated without any
stick. Yield 6.79 Mt per
acre.
HNF Stock = Higher no. of fruits.
Important Features of BARDC Developed Lines
i) P12 : It is a green fruited advance line (Fig.1). It was isolated as plant no. 12 from the F3 population derived from the crossing
between Local X Jijiang (an introduced white coloured exceptionally long and broad fruited variety). Its vigorous plants flowered at
42 DAS. Picking of fruits can be started from 49.00 -50.00 DAS. Its green colored fruits were longer (around 60.50 cm) and also
fleshy (diameter-1.10 cm). Individual fruit wt. was recorded 30.00 gm. It was found to be tolerant to leaf blight disease which is
prevalent in the commercial variety ‘Kegornatki’. Prolonged fruiting is one of the major characteristics of this line. Its multilocational
trial has been conducted during the year 2012 at Dinajpur farm and found to be a well adapted line. Its yield was recorded as 25 Mt/ha.
In an experiment yield of P12 was recorded as high as 378.42% than Lal Teer variety ‘ Lal beni’. Yield per acre 8.20 Mt.

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Fig.1. Fruits of the P12 line.
ii) Natun (KGN X P12): This advance line has been developed through the hybridization between the most popular green long
fruited variety “Kegornatki” and the BARDC developed line P12 (Figs. 2 & 3) . Its plants were vigorous and matured within 37 days
after the sowing of seeds. Fruits were long (fruit size- 46.88 X 0.89 cm) deep green and its fruit harvesting could be started from 43
days after seeding. Crop duration of ‘Natun’ was recrded as 63-64 days. It also exhibited tolerance to virus and leaf blight disease.
Yield per acre 4.13Mt.

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Fig. 2. Fruit bearing plants of the BARDC developed line ‘Natun’.

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Fig.3. Comparison between ‘Kegornatki’ & ‘Natun’.

8. 8
iii) Shova -1: It is an anthocianin rich pink fruited variety (Fig. 4). Originally it was developed through the hybridization between P12
(green fruited) X Local Pink Fruited stock. To obtain a high quality red fruited yard long bean variety a locally available low yielding
short size pink fruited variety was crossed with the good quality high yielding BARDC developed line P12 and through selection a
line with desirable type pink coloured long fruited having good fruit bearing habit was isolated. This high yielding line was also
characterised by excellent plant vigour, longer fruits (fruit length-48.80cm.) and had good fruit shape and size. Its production was
found also to be relatively better than green fruited varieties in the monsoon season. This particular line was found to be tolerant to
leaf miner attack. Yield per acre 5.31 Mt.
Fig.4. Fruits of Shova-1. Fig.5. Fruits of Shova-2.

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iv) Shova -2: It is also a high yielding and anthocianin rich pink fruited variety (Fig. 4). Almost very much similar to Shova -1 and has
been developed from the same cross. More deep green and bigger leaves compared to popular variety’Kegornatki’ and tolerant to
common blight disease. It is also tolerant to leaf miner attack. More yield than Shova-01. Yield per acre 6.84Mt.
v) BRAC-35 : It has been developed from an introduced exotic germplasm. Extra early season type line having longer light green
coloured fruits (Figs.6-9). Very fast growth and it matures just within 30-31 days. Fruit picking can be started at 40-41 days. Moderate
foliage, prolific bearer and its fruits are less fibrous and very soft. Its fruits have also more fleshy part compared to other lines and this
is why fruits are heavier and more tasty. It looks more tender at the marketable stage. Almost 43.96% increased length & 96.02%
higher fruit wt. than ‘Kegornatki’ was recorded in BRAC-35 fruit. It has also the potentiality to tolerate moderate cold (Figs. 6) and
this cold tolerant line can give satisfactory yield during the early part of the winter and can be successfully cultivated during the early
part of the spring season practically when there is no yardlong beans in the market(Figs.7). Per acre yield of this line has been
recorded as 6.77 Mt.
Fig.6. Cold tolerant nature of BRAC-35 in the early part of winter Fig.7. Cold tolerant nature of BRAC-35 in the early part of
(right) and check variety (left). spring (right) and check variety (left).

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Fig.8. Performance of BRAC 35 in the Kharif-2 season. Fig.9. Performance of BRAC 35 in the Kharif-1 season.
vi) BRAC-03: This line was also developed from an exotic germplasm. Plant growth is very much similar to BRAC-35 but matures
later than BRAC-35 (Figs.10). Early season type line having whitish green longer fruits. Relatively less foliage with moderate fruiting
habit. Fruit length is around 50-51 cm. and had average fruit wt. between 18-19 gm. It can also be cultivated as short duration type
light green fruited yardlong bean. Yield per acre 5.03Mt.

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Fig.10. Performance of BRAC 03 in the Kharif-1 season.
vii) TR-01: It was developed from an exotic germplasm (Figs. 11 & 12). Relatively short duration type. It has got less foliage and the
fruits are greenish white. Prolific bearer and its tender fruits are long, soft and tasty. First picking can be started from 46 days. Fruit
length 61-65 cm and fruit wt. 27-30 gm. per fruit. Fruits are more or less uniform and yield per acre 3.39 Mt.
Fig. 11. Fruit bearing plants of the BARDC developed line ‘TR-01’. Fig. 12. Fruits of the BARDC developed line ‘TR-01’.

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viii) TR-2: This line was also developed from an exotic germplasm. It is also an early season type line having greenish white
longer ruits (Figs.13&14). Prolific bearer and tender fruits are soft and tasty. Vigorus plants but had less foliage. Less fruiting than TR-
1. Picking can be started from 43 days after sowing. Fruit length- 60-65cm. and fruit wt. 25-27 gm per fruit.Yield per acre 3.51 Mt.
Fig. 13. Fruiting plants of TR-02. Fig. 14. Fruiting plants of TR-02.
ix) Dwarf Type : All season type advance line and can be cultivated as a year round crop. Semi-indeterminate type plants and most of its
branches are developed around the base of the plant (Fig. 15). Plants usually mature 40-45 days and 1st
picking can be started from 50 -55 days
after sowing (Table.2). Good fruit bearing habit and 23-24 fruits are produced by each plant. Uniform stringless medium size fruits (Fruit length-
27.00 -31.00 cm) are soft and palatable. Yield per acre 7.00 -7.50 metric tons. It can be cultivated like other type of field crops and it does not
require any staking or trellis for its cultivation. Also suitable for cultivation as intercrop.
Characteristics of newly developed all season type yardlong bean:
1. All season type variety and can be cultivated as a year round crop.
2. Semi-indeterminate type plants and most of its branches are developed around the base of the plant.
3. Plants usually mature 40-45 days and 1st
picking can be started from 50 -55 days after sowing.
4. Good fruit bearing habit and 23-24 fruits are produced by each plant.

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5. Uniform stringless medium size fruits (Fruit length- 27.00 -31.00 cm) are soft and palatable.
6. Yield per acre 7.00 -7.50 metric tons.
7. It can be grown as other field crops and it does not require any staking or trellis for its cultivation.
8. Also suitable for cultivation as intercrop.
Table.2. Evaluation of all season type (YLB 01/15) yardlong bean in different seasons of the year 2016-17 ( combined report).
Season Seeding
date
Plant
hei-
ght
(cm)
No. of
bran-
ches/
plant
Total
no. of
clusters
/plant
Total
no. of
fruits/
plant
No. of
fruits/
cluster
Fruit
length
(cm)
Fruit
wt./fruit
(gm)
Fruit
dia-
meter
(mm)
Fruit
colour
Days
to 1st
flower-
ing
Days
to 1st
pick-
ing
Days
to 50
%
pick-
ing
Total
no.
of
pick-
ings
100-
seed
wt.
(gm)
Fruit
yield
/acre
(Mt)
Disease
reaction
Rabi’
2016
23.10.16 57.20 - - 12.60 2.80 27.40 10.33 - Green 45.00 64.00 - - 4.99 Tolerant to
virus &
other
major
disease
Kharif’
2017
28.02.17 34.20 4.50 10.00 20.10 - 31.00 15.20 9.60 Green 53.00 63.00 - - 6.78
Fig.15. Semi indeterminate all season type yard long bean (exhibiting no climbing habit).

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Fig.16. Comparison between fruits of semi indeterminate all season Fig.17. Comparison between fruits of semi indeterminate all season
type yard long bean & common longer green fruited bean. type yard long bean & longer red fruited bean.
.
Fig.18. Comparison between fruits of all season type yard long bean and other beans including whitish green fruited beans .

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Conclusion
Yardlong bean is a very popular leguminous vegetable of Bangladesh. Its different coloured tender fruits are used either as stir fried food item or
in the soup or in curry. Since it can be grown almost round the year there is very good market of yardlong bean in this country and now a days
commercial vegetable growers are cultivating yard long bean widely as they earn a big profit by selling this vegetable in the kitchen market.
Considering the importance of yardlong bean BRAC started research work on yardlong bean nearly 2 decades ago and so far developed a good
no. of advance lines which are likely to be released for commercial cultivation in the coming years. If these improved lines are released, these
varieties will increase the yard long bean production in Bangladesh significantly.
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Address:
Dr. Sitesh Chandra Biswas
Progarm Specialist (Vegetable Research)
BRAC Agricultural Research & Development Centre
Jogitala, BRRI, Joydebpur, Gazipur-1701
Bangladesh
Phone: 9294207
Mobile:+88 01730349845
E-mail: sitesh.cb@brac.net
or, siteshchbiswas@yahoo.com