Fresh Pod Yield and Stability of NSIC-Approved Varieties of Pole Snap Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris (L.)) in Benguet

Snap bean production is one of the main sources of livelihood of farmers in Benguet. It is mainly grown for fresh pods which can produce 17 to 28 t/ha depending on the cultivars. Snap bean farmers largely depend on the use of traditional variety which is low yielding with inferior pod quality. The BSU-IPB HCRS at BSU has developed and registered new improved varieties for production in the Northern Philippine Highland and officially approved by the DA-BPI NSIC for commercialization. On-farm trials involving eight varieties of pole snap beans were set up in four municipalities of Benguet following RCBD with three replications. The study aimed to evaluate the fresh pod yield, stability of NSIC-approved pole snap bean varieties, determine the most suitable location, identify the most stable and adapted variety for production in Benguet. The fresh pod yield of the eight pole snap bean varieties evaluated differed significantly among each other in four municipalities. Across locations, varieties ‘Itogon’ and ‘Kapangan’ produced the highest marketable fresh pod yield while variety ‘Itogon’ recorded the heaviest total fresh pod yield. Pole snap beans grown in Kapangan produced the highest marketable and total fresh pod yield. Significant interaction effect of genotype and environment was observed in the fresh pod yield. ‘Tublay’ was the most stable variety based on total fresh pod yield. Variety ‘Kibungan’ had specific adaptability in Kapangan and La Trinidad. Varieties ‘Mabunga’ and ‘Itogon’ had specific adaptability in Sablan and Varieties ‘Wangal,’ ‘Tuba,’ ‘Alno,’ ‘Tublay,’ and ‘Kapangan’ are best grown in Kibungan.