Bean Disease Workshop held in South Africa

The 3rd International Bean Rust and 2nd Common Bacterial Blight Workshops were held at Game Valley Lodge near Pietermaritzburg from 3 to 8 March 2002. The workshops were organized by Merion Liebenberg and Deidré Fourie of the ARC Grain Crops Institute in Potchefstroom and Antony Jarvie of PANNAR, Greytown. The international organizing committee consisted of Dr Jim Steadman and Dr Talo Pastor-Corrales.

The back-to back workshops were attended by more than 40 delegates from the USA, Spain, Puerto Rico, Colombia, South Africa, Ethiopia, Malawi, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. Dr John Purchase of the Grain Crops Institute delivered the welcoming address whereas distinguished bean researchers such as Jim Kelly (Michigan State University), Phil Miklas (USDA, Washington State University), Jim Steadman (University of Nebraska), Talo Pastor-Corrales (USDA-ARS, Beltsville), George Mahuku (CIAT, Colombia), Bob Gilbertson (UC Davis) and Shree Singh (University of Idaho) chaired the sessions.

The workshops discussed rust and common blight problems in participating countries, the biology and variability of the respective pathogens, classical and molecular approaches to breeding for resistance, as well as integrated disease management. A successful field trip was conducted to Cedara and Greytown where bean germplasm of international importance were grown in disease nurseries.

The scenic Game Valley Lodge provided an excellent venue for the bean group and enjoyable game drives and social functions added to the success of the meeting.

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