In the province of Benguet, there are two common types of snap bean that are commercially grown: the vine or pole snap bean and the bush or sitting bean. Traditional varieties of snap beans include “Alno, Patig, and Burik”. Snap bean is considered as priority crop in the country and belongs to the top seven vegetable crops produced in CAR (PCARRD, 2005 and DA-BAS, 2005).

However, the production of snap bean alarmingly decreased in the year 2004-2009 because of the enormous decrease in the areas that are planted with it (Commodity Production Profile, Benguet Province, 2004-2009). To meet the demand of the snap bean farmers and consumers for better commercial varieties, the bean breeding program team has continued developing and identifying accessional and advanced breeding lines that could be planted in different elevation areas.

The joint breeding team of Benguet State University and the Institute of Plant Breeding of the University of the Philippines Los Banos, College of Agriculture, Crop Science Cluster (IPB-UPLB-CA-CSC) continuously produced different potential varieties.

In a project conducted by Dr. Leoncia L. Tandang in 2007 titled “Development and Evaluation of NSIC-Approved Improved Varieties of Bush and Pole Snap Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) for Commercialization in Northern Philippines”, seven potential pole snap bean and three bush snap bean were officially approved and registered at DA-BPI-National Seed Industry Council (DA-BPI-NSIC). For the pole snap bean, the registered and approved varieties are NSIC 2008 PSnBn 1 “Kapangan”, NSIC 2008 PSnBn 2 “Mabunga”, NSIC 2009 PSnBn 3 “Tublay”, NSIC 2014 PSnBn 4 “Itogon”, NSIC 2014 PSnBn 5 “Kibungan”, NSIC 2014 PSnBn 6 “Tuba”, and NSIC 2014 PSnBn 7 “Wangal”. While the three bush snap bean are NSIC 2009 BSnBn1 “Sablan”, NSIC 2009 BSnBn 2 “Bokod” and 2015 BSnBn 3 “Cali” bush snap bean. These were chosen with the criteria of being high-yielding, high resistance to major pests and diseases and with good pod qualities.

The variety “Kapangan” is a seed from the National Seed Storage Laboratory of the United States Department of Agriculture in Fort Collins, Colorado. It is a high-yielding variety, producing 11.56 tons per hectare marketable fresh pods, with 28.87% yield advantage over the traditional variety, “Alno”. Compared to the “Alno”, “Kapangan” has 28.87% higher yield advantage, has longer dark green pods measuring of 17.10 cm and 1.10 cm width. It has better resistance to bean rust and pod borer, and has better quality that it can be harvested 56 days after planting. Moreover, "Kapangan" is highly acceptable to consumers.

"Mabunga" is a selection from the introduced accession of the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (ARDC) in Tainan, Taiwan. It is highly prolific with an average of 9.78 tons per hectare. Compared to “Alno”, “Mabunga” has longer pods measuring of 17.80cm and a width of 0.90 cm, and it has also better resistance to bean rust and pod borer. Its violet pod color is indicative of better quality due to the presence of more anti-oxidants.

“Tublay” is a highly prolific selection from the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in Cali, Colombia with a yield of 11.47 tons per hectare. It has 27.87% more yield advantage than Alno, and can be harvested three days earlier. It has moderate resistance to bean rust and pod borer, better than Alno. It has a normal length of 15.40cm and 1.10cm wide and is highly acceptable to snap bean growers and consumers.

"Itogon" is also a highly prolific selection from the International Center for Tropical Agricultural (CIAT). It has an average yield of 15.08 tons per hectare having 39.37% yield advantage and 79% return of investment over the variety “Alno”. “Itogon” has better resistance to bean rust and pod borer and can be harvested 50 days after emergence, which is five days earlier than of “Alno”. Moreover, it has longer harvesting period. However, it is slightly shorter and has greener round pods, and is adapted in mid and high elevation areas during dry season.

“Kibungan” is an offspring of a cross pollination between “Alno” and “Blue Lake” from 1996 hybridization activities. It is the first locally bred variety recommended for registration and commercialization in Benguet. “Kibungan” has the characteristics of dark green pods that can be harvested after 52 days after emergence and has an average fresh pod yield of 14.40 tons per hectare. Moreover, “Kibungan” is longer, smoother-textured, has shinier pods, and is 33% more advantage than “Alno”. It has also 170% return of investment and is adapted to high elevation areas during the dry season. It is highly resistant to bean rust and to pod borer.

"Tuba" is a highly prolific selection from a cross between “Blue Lake and “Alno”. It has an average fresh pod yield of 15.14 tons per hectare and an almost 40% lead from “Alno”. Moreover, it has 181% return of investment. “Tuba” is adapted to medium to high elevation areas during dry season and is highly resistant to bean rust and to pod borer. Compared to “Alno”, Tuba matures four days earlier, has one week longer harvesting period, and has better pod texture and greener color. Thus, it is highly acceptable to both snap bean grower and consumers.

“Wangal” is a selection from a cross between “Alno” and “Blue Lake”. It has an average fresh pod yield of 14.50 tons per hectare, 34.09% yield advantage over “Alno” and has return of investment of 168.85%. Moreover, “Wangal” is highly resistant to bean rust and is adapted both to mid and high elevation areas during dry season. It has darker green pods that are longer and snappier than the check variety. It has almost the same harvesting time with Alno but Wangal has longer harvesting period.

"Sablan" is one of the selection from the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in Columbia. It has better quality and high resistance to weevil than the check variety, “BBL 274”. Sablan has an average marketable fresh pod yield of 8.57 tons per hectare. Moreover, it has shorter and tastier green pod, and measures 13.3 cm long and 0.90 cm wide but it is more resistant to lodging and stem breakage. “Sablan” has comparable moderate resistance to bean rust and pod borer, and could be profitably grown in the highlands and lowlands.

"Bokod" is also a selection from an introduce accession from the CIAT. Compared to the check variety, BBL 274, it has smoother, snappier and darker green pods and with higher resistance to bean weevil. Moreover, it has shorter and tastier straight green pods than “BBL 274” measuring 13.4 cm long and 0.90 cm wide. It is highly appreciated by farmers and consumers because it has comparable moderate resistance to bean rust, pod borer, stem breakage or lodging. “Bokod” could be profitably grown both in lowlands.

"Cali" is also a selection from an introduced accession from CIAT with an average pod yield of 8.46 tons per hectare. “Cali” has better pod quality and high resistance to weevil and more resistant to lodging and stem breakage than “BBL 274”, but comparable with Bokod and Sablan. It has shorter and tastier green pod, and has comparable moderate resistance to bean rust with all check varieties and better resistance to pod borer. It could be grown both in the highlands and the lowlands. //A.L. Marzo