Kenya: Researchers have sequenced a new bean genome that will help increase yields in drought-prone regions

An international team of researchers has completely sequenced the genome of a climate-resistant bean that could improve food security in drought-prone regions. Sequencing the hyacinth bean, or “lab bean,” opens the way to wider cultivation of this crop, bringing nutritional and economic benefits as well as much-needed diversity to the global food system. The plant is native to Africa and cultivated in the tropics, producing highly nutritious beans that are used for food and livestock feed. It is extremely drought tolerant and thrives in a variety of environments and conditions, contributing to food and economic security and improving soil fertility through nitrogen fixation. Lablab is also used in medicine in some areas and contains bioactive compounds with pharmacological potential. The adaptability of the plant indicates a high genetic diversity, which means the possibility of choosing different adaptive genotypes for different environments and climatic conditions. But Lablab's ...