SPECIAL PROJECT.

CROP PROTECTION.

A50/9066/2021.

Daniel Kiiti.

OCCURRENCE AND RESISTANCE OF BEAN COMMON MOSAIC VIRUS(BCMV) IN BEANS

IN KIRIMARI WARD EMBU COUNTY.

Students Name: Daniel Kiiti

Admission Number: A50/9066/2021

Signature: ………………………... Date:………………………...

This research proposal is submitted in partial fulfillment for award of Diploma in Crop Protection and
Department of Water and Animal Resource Management in the School of Agriculture of the University of
Embu.

Supervisor’s Name: Dr. Felix Rotich

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Signature:………………...... Date………………………….

Declaration.

I hereby declare that this proposal is my original work and has not been presented anywhere else.

Signature…………………….. Date…………………..

Name………………………………………………………..

This report has been submitted with my approval as the supervisor.

Signature………………………. Date………………………………

Dr. Felix Rotich

Department of Water and Agricultural Resource Management.

University of Embu.

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Acknowledgement

I thank almighty God for his love, guidance and tremendous encouragement throughout the journey of
idea development. This work might have not succeeded without the immense support and guidance from
my supervisor Dr. Felix Rotich who offered mentorship during the entire work.

I also thank my friends who we encouraged each other throughout the journey.

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Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................6

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY...............................................................................................................6

1.2 Statement of the problem.......................................................................................................................7

1.3 Justification...........................................................................................................................................8

1.4 Research questions................................................................................................................................8

1.5 Hypotheses............................................................................................................................................8

1.6 Objectives..............................................................................................................................................9

2.1 LITERATURE REVIEW....................................................................................................................10

2.2 Major bean constraints in Kenya.........................................................................................................11

2.3 BEAN COMMON MOSAIC VIRUS..................................................................................................11

2.3.1 Causal agent......................................................................................................................................11

2.3.2 Host range and symptoms.................................................................................................................12

2.3.3 Management and control..................................................................................................................12

3.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS.........................................................................................................12

3.1 Study area............................................................................................................................................12

3.2Method of research...............................................................................................................................12

3.3 Methodology.......................................................................................................................................13

3.4 Agro-economic zones..........................................................................................................................13

3.5 Climatic conditions..............................................................................................................................14

3.7 Data collection.....................................................................................................................................15

3.8 Data analysis........................................................................................................................................15

3.9 Appendices..........................................................................................................................................15

ABSTRACT

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Bean Common Mosaic Virus is the most common constraint in bean production in Kenya. The study will
be conducted to assess bean varieties resistance to BCMV.

The bean plant samples for the study will be obtained from the local bean farmers in Kirimari ward,
Embu county, this will involve physically visiting the farmer’s farm and observe the planted bean plants
for any signs of the Virus. A maximum of five plants will be selected which will then be monitored for
the occurrence of Bean Common Mosaic Virus.

The study will be comprised of four different bean varieties than include;

The Old Mwezi Moja variety.

The Mwitemania variety

The red haricot(wairimu) variety.

The Rosecoco variety.

The four varieties will aid in accurately determine the resistant varieties after a period of about three
weeks. The disease related data will be recorded after every three days and each plant progression will be
taken and compared to see if there is any noticeable change in the plants as per the expected symptoms of
the Bean Common Mosaic Virus.

After obtaining the resistant number of varieties the yield of beans will be investigated by testing two
varieties that were pre-dominant in Kenyan market against the BCMV strain types as presented by the
isolates. The strains will have caused significant reduction in the yield of bean cultivars of the Yellow
beans and the Mwezi moja varieties in the bean market.

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1.0 INTRODUCTION.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY.

From its origin as a wild vine in central and south America to the thousands of varieties grown around the
world today, beans have evolved to be one of the world’s most important and versatile crops.

In Kenya bean is a main crop planted in many parts of the country and hence it is a dependable crop for
many people for both local consumption and as a cash crop.

Bean Common Mosaic virus is a common disease affecting bean crops and it has become a major threat
to bean farmers especially in Embu County.

This disease has greatly affected specifically the bean yield in the county leading to loses up to 70-80%.
(MoA)

The virus affects susceptible bean plants and it is mainly characterized by symptoms such as dwarfing
which refers to the retardation of the plant at a younger age, leaf curling, mosaic and chlorosis of the
leaves.

Other symptoms include an irregular mosaic pattern of light yellow and green or a band of dark green
along the veins on an otherwise green leaf. Foliage may also pucker and warp in size, often causing the
leaf to roll up. Certain strains of BCMV can induce systemic necrosis in mosaic-resistant bean genotypes.
This hypersensitive reaction, known as “black root,” appears first in the younger trifoliate leaves as vein
necrosis and dark-green areas along the main leaf veins.

The necrosis advances rapidly down the stem affecting the entire vascular system, including the pods and
roots. Symptom expression depends largely on bean genotypes, strain of the virus, environmental
conditions, and growth stage of the plant at which it becomes infected.

Several aphid species, mainly Aphis fabae and Myzus persicae, transmit the virus in a no persistent
manner. Transmission via seed may be high, depending upon bean cultivar and virus strain. Landraces
grown mostly by small-scale farmers are most susceptible to the disease, which can cause yield losses
from 75% to 100% when all plants are infected or killed.

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1.2 Statement of the problem.

Bean Common Mosaic Virus has been a major threat to bean farmers in both large and small scale
production of beans by causing up to 100% yield loss (MoA 2003).

Despite of usage of various control methods the disease has resisted and it’s still affecting farmer’s yield.
Bean Common Mosaic Virus is a strain caused by a virus from the potyvirus group of viruses. In Kenya
BCMV wide spread all across the country especially in specific areas where beans are planted. Small
scale farmers fail to recognize its symptoms due to its familiarity with other infections thus their plants
end up yield less.

BCMV poses great challenge to farmers especially in already infected fields and this results in reduction
of income to small scale farmers in particular. It has also resulted to a significant increase in the cost of
production where farmers spend a lot of money purchasing various chemicals in order to reduce the
disease incidence and severity.

A sustainable, affordable and effective approach to control the disease need to be developed to reduce
yield loss and production cost. The management strategy to be introduced should guarantee continuous
production and increase in the yield of beans. Bean production being a key income earner to some
families these will ensure increased income to farmers and fair prices to consumers.

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1.3 Justification.
For environmental safety of human health and better yields farmers should plant resistant bean varieties to
Bean Common Mosaic Virus. Despite of farmer’s efforts to increase the bean yield, they face various
challenges that limit bean production in a certain area.

Some of the challenges brought about by BCMV is the dying of bean plants thus resulting to very low
yields. Thus this research will equip the farmers with the required knowledge in tackling the BCMV
infections and its control. It will also aid in the reduction of losses resulting from the virus thus increasing
the farmer’s income and eradicating severe poverty levels being experienced by the local farmers.

Increased production will also result to the reduction of the consumer cost hence beans will be affordable
to every consumer since beans is a highly cherished protein not only in African countries but also
globally.

This will also combat the bean shortage internationally due to its inclination in production. It will further
reduce various diseases since beans have many health benefits.

Beans have very important health benefits, to start with beans is a source of proteins which play a major
role in maintaining and repairing the body. Moreover, they are also known for containing antioxidants,
they prevent heart attack problems(MOH,2003), reduce risk of cancer, diabetes and glucose metabolism.

1.4 Research questions.

1. Can planting resistant bean cultivars increase the yield of beans?

2. How intensive is the Bean Common Mosaic Virus destruction to the yield of beans by the local
farmers?

1.5 Hypotheses.
1.Planting resistant bean cultivars increase bean yield since the varieties are more resistant to diseases
hence there will be surety of high yields.

2.Bean common mosaic virus is highly destructive to farmers causing up to 100% losses.

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1.6 Objectives
1.To test bean cultivars for resistance against Bean Common Mosaic Virus.

2.To assess the incidence of Bean Common Mosaic Virus in small scale farms Kirimari ward Embu
county.

METHOD.

A specific bean farm will be selected in Kirimari ward Embu county where specific bean crops will be
selected and will be monitored in intervals for the natural infection of BCMV. The selected plants will be
monitored after every three days in order to detect the slightest change in the expected healthy conditions
of the bean plant.

Any observable change related to the known symptoms of the virus will be recorded.

Those bean plants resistant to the virus will remained healthy without showing any signs of the BCMV
while those which are susceptible will indicate clear signs of infection.

2.FIELD ASSESSMENT OF BEAN COMMON MOSAIC INCIDENCE.

In order to establish the incidence of Bean Common Mosaic in Small farms in Embu county Kirimari
ward, a survey will be conducted in various bean farms around the Kirimari ward which was selected
based on the predominance of small scale farming as applied in the statistical abstracts in Kenya.

In each of the location, farms will be selected at intervals of 2-3 km distance depending on the abundance
of bean farms in the area. Diseased as well as healthy plants will be counted at each site within a 10x10
meters and the disease incidence will be computed as percentage.

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2.1 LITERATURE REVIEW

Common bean was domesticated ∼8000 years ago in central Mexico and South America. These were
individual events and resulted in two major genetic pools, the Mesoamerican, covering from northern
Mexico to Colombia, and the Andean, extending from Peru to Argentina (Gepts, 1998; Rodriguez et al.,
2015).

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L), also referred to as dry bean, is an annual leguminous plant that
belongs to the genus, Phaseolus, with pinnately compound trifoliate large leaves. It is largely a self-
pollinated plant though cross-pollination is possible if the stigma contacts with pollen coated bee when
extended. Seeds are non-endospermic and vary greatly in size and color from the small black wild type to
the large white, brown, red, black or mottled seeds of cultivars, which are 7-16 mm long (Cobley and
Steele, 1976). Common bean shows variation in growth habits from determinate bush to indeterminate,
extreme climbing types‡. The bushy type bean is the most predominant type grown in Africa (Buruchara)

Cultivation of common bean in Africa is widespread, but production (approximately 80 percent of

African bean production) is concentrated in 10 countries. In terms of area, Kenya is the leading producer
of common bean in Africa followed by Uganda and then Tanzania. Malawi and Ethiopia rank eighth and
ninth, respectively according to FAO statistics (FAO, 2008) However, in terms of production, Kenya
comes second after Uganda, with Tanzania keeping its third position. Common bean yields are higher in
Uganda than in Kenya because of a relatively favorable biophysical environment (such as weather
condition) in Uganda compared to Kenya. In the latest figures from FAO for 2007, however, the
production in Kenya has moved above 500,000 tonnes (, 2007).

Table 3: Top 10 producers of common bean in terms of area in Africa in 2000-2007

Country Average area (Ha) Average production (Tons)
Kenya 910 478 412 381
Uganda 7943 75 478 625
Tanzania 373 125 285 414
Rwanda 340055 231882
Angola 290 391 92 786
Burundi 249 375 229 607
Democratic Republic of Congo 205 958 110 404

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Malawi 197 605 87 593
Ethiopia 188 000 143 414
Madagascar 820 96 77 273
Source: FAOstat at www.fao.org

2.2 Major bean constraints in Kenya.

Beans are affected by a broad spectrum of pests and diseases, the main pests affecting beans are the
aphids.

Moreover, diseases have also been a major threat when it comes to beans. The major diseases attacking
beans are; Bacterial wilt, Common blight, Fusarium root rot, Fusarium wilt, Halo blight, Rust, White
mold and many others.

2.3 BEAN COMMON MOSAIC VIRUS

The major bean constraint in Kenya is the Bean Common Mosaic Virus which is a main virus and a threat
to many farmers countrywide.

Crop losses in Kenya caused by BCMV and impact severely not only on commercial scale cultivation of
this high-value crop but also on production by smallholder farmers in the developing country, where bean
serves as a key source of dietary protein and mineral nutrition. In many parts of the country, progress has
been made in combating BCMV through breeding bean varieties possessing the I gene, a dominant gene
conferring resistance to most BCMV strains. However, currently the, BCMV is endemic and this presents
a serious problem for deployment of the I gene because this virus triggers systemic necrosis (black root
disease) in plants possessing this resistance gene.

2.3.1 Causal agent.

BCMV belongs to the potyvirus group and is serologically related to them, especially to Bean
Yellow mosaic Virus (BYMV) which is the main causal agent of the disease.

BCMV is mainly favored by a cool and wet climate where the virus gets favorable conditions to thrive,
multiply and affect the plant. Hence areas with these air conditions are more prone to this disease
compared with other areas. This virus is spread between production areas and between seasons, especially
in infected seed. The most important vectors are aphids, but also pollen, and mechanical transmission.

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2.3.2 Host range and symptoms.
BCMV host range is limited but naturally infected plants include common bean, (Phaseoulus vulgaris L.
var. aborigineus, Rhynchosia minima (L.) DC, and some wild tropical Phaseolus spp.
Symptoms include light and dark green mosaic patterns on trifoliate leaves. Other symptoms include:
puckering, blistering, distortion, downward curling and rolling, and a mild or severe green-on green
mosaic mottle. Pinpoint, yellow dots or necrotic local lesions may often result in
plant growth reduction. Plants infected at a young age may be stunted and distorted
The disease leads to rugosity, vein yellowing, stunting depending on the variety inoculated. This destroys
the plant and can end up even killing it.

2.3.3 Management and control.

Control of vectors is the main form of virus control.
Use of virus-free seed will also reduce incidence, however, the best method of control is by use of
certified and/or resistant varieties or cultivars having the I gene or other Bean Common Mosaic
Virus resistance genes

3.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS.

3.1 Study area.

I will conduct my data in Embu county, Manyatta constituency which is in Kirimari ward.

3.2Method of research.
Use of online research will be mainly used alongside interviewing the individual bean farmers and
surveying.

3.3 Methodology.
To access Bean Common Mosaic Virus incidence, at least ten localities will be visited within Embu
County. The survey shall be conducted during the long rainy season when beans were at flowering stages
which are more susceptible.

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Farms for the study will be systematically selected at intervals of fifteen to fifty kilometers based on the
intensity of bean cultivation.

3.4 Agro-economic zones.

The agro-climatic conditions of Embu county are as follows.
Below is the Embu county agro-economical map.

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3.5 Climatic conditions.
Embu County depicts two distinct areas with different agro-climatic and natural characteristics.
The County has a typical agro-ecological profile of the windward side of Mt. Kenya, from cold
and wet upper zones to hot and dry lower zones in the Tana River Basin. The average annual
rainfall reflects this contrast: from more than 2200 mm at 2500 m to less than 600 mm near the
Tana River at 700 m.

3.7 Data collection.

I will use various methods for collection of data. Some of them include;

Use of interviews and focus groups to farmers.

And also I will use observation method and record my observations.

3.8 Data analysis.

Incidences will be subjected to analysis of variance and analyzed using statistical package for social
sciences(SPSS) program.

3.9 Appendices

3.9.1 Reference.
Bean common mosaic virus and Bean common mosaic necrosis virus: relationships, biology,
and prospects for control
EA Worrall, FO Wamonje, G Mukeshimana… - Advances in Virus …, 2015 - Elsevie

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Recombinants of Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) and Genetic Determinants of BCMV
Involved in Overcoming Resistance in Common Bean

X Feng, AR Poplawsky, OV Nikolaeva… - …, 2014 - Am Phytopath Society

Pyramiding genes for resistance to bean common mosaic virus

JD Kelly, L Afanador, SD Haley - Euphytica, 1995 – Springer

Bean common mosaic virus and Bean common mosaic necrosis virus in Mexico

N Flores-Estévez, JA Acosta-Gallegos… - Plant …, 2003 - Am Phytopath Society

[HTML] The bean common mosaic virus lineage of potyviruses: where did it arise and when?

AJ Gibbs, JWH Trueman, MJ Gibbs - Archives of virology, 2008 - Springe

Transmission of bean common mosaic virus by seed of Phaseolus vulgaris L. cultivar Beka

B Schippers - Acta botanica neerlandica, 1963 - natuurtijdschriften.nl

Sequence analysis of expressed cDNA of Bean common mosaic virus RU1 isolate

M Naderpour, OS Lund, IE Johansen - Iranian Journal of Virology, 2009 - journal.isv.org.i

3.9.2 Budget.

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 Activity Description Quantity Unit price Cost
Development of Printing copies of 2 200 400
research proposal draft proposal and
final research
proposal.
Report writing Printing of copies 3 200 600
of final research
proposal.
Field work and Transport cost _ _ 5000
study.
Total 6000

3.9.3 Work plan.

Activity May June July September October November

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Concept  
development.
Research 
proposal
development.
Presentation 
and approval
of research,
and proposal,
writing and
submission.
Data 
collection
Data analysis 
Report
writing and
editing
Revised 
project and
approval of
final project.
Submission 
of the
project.

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