Transcriptome profiling during seed development in important common bean cvs. Rosecoco, Pinto and Canadian wonder. Transcriptome profiling during seed development in important common bean varieties

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important legume which significantly contributes to achieving the global food and nutrition security agenda. Despite its nutritional importance, its adoption in diets is restricted by a phenomenon known as the hard-to-cook defect. While the hard-to-cook defect has been studied using marker assisted breeding and food processing techniques, transcriptomic profiling is yet to be investigated. We explore for the first time RNA sequencing to compare the transcriptome of a fast-cooking (cv. Rosecoco), a slow-cooking (cv. Pinto) and intermediate (cv. Canadian wonder) bean variety. The aim is to identify differentially expressed genes useful in the development of hard-to-cook defect. The differentially expressed genes identified in this study present a novel platform for future research on development of the hard-to-cook defect and could guide genetic improvements in common bean.