A New Gene, bic, with Pleiotropic Effects (with T P V) for Bicolor Flowers and Dark Olive Brown Seed Coat in Common Bean

Abstract

‘Painted Lady’ (Phaseolus coccineus L.) has bicolor flowers with vermilion banner petal and white wing petals. This flower color pattern is not known in common bean (P. vulgaris L.). The bicolor trait was backcrossed into common bean and its inheritance investigated, including allelism tests with other genes in common bean (T, P, and V) for flower color or pattern and brown seed coat. A pure line (line 33) with bicolor flower and dark olive brown seed coat was crossed to line 5-593 (no flower pattern and black seed coat). Data from the F2 and F3 progenies from that cross demonstrated that a single recessive gene controlled both the bicolor flower and dark olive brown seed coat by pleiotropic gene action. Allelism tests between the bicolor trait (line 179c) and standard genetic tester stocks involving the T, P, V, and Wb (white banner) genes for flower color or seed coat color demonstrated independence of bicolor from those genes and further supported the hypothesis of pleiotropic action on flower and seed coat. Also, the Wb gene was demonstrated to be independent of T and P. The gene symbol bic is proposed for the bicolor gene.