Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.) landraces from Cuba: electrophoretic analysis of seed storage proteins

Seed storage protein patterns of Phaseolus lunatus L. were analysed in a collection of 25 landraces from Cuba using one dimensional SDS/PAGE. Cultivated small seeded genotypes belonging to the Sieva and Potato morphogroups showed the Mesoamerican (M) protein pattern, whereas the Big Lima morphotype showed the Andean (A) pattern, confirming their origin from two distinct gene pools. Intermediate types Sieva-Big Lima showed the M pattern suggesting that this group could be the result of a selection toward large seeds within the Sieva group rather than the result of introgression between the two gene pools.