The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. ) is the most important pulse
crop in the world. It is an important source of calories, proteins,
dietary fibers, minerals, and vitamins for millions of people in both
developing and developed countries worldwide. It complements cereals and
other carbohydrate-rich foods in providing near-perfect nutrition to
people of all ages. Moreover, a regular intake ofbeans helps lower
cholesterol and cancer risks. Despite the fact that per capita
consumption of common bean in some developed countries (e. g., the U. S.
A. ) has been increasing over the last several years, in general, the
average global per capita consumption is declining because production is
unable to keep up with the population growth. Moreover, increasing
demand for pesticide-free food products, concern for natural resources
conservation, and the need to reduce production costs offer daunting
challenges to the twenty-first century policy makers, bean growers, and
researchers alike. High yielding, high quality bean cultivars that
require less water, fertilizers, pesticides, and manual labor combined
with integrated management of abiotic and biotic stresses will have to
be developed. Eminent bean researchers were invited to contemplate these
issues, prepare a state-of-the-art account on most relevant topics, and
offer their insight into research directions into the twenty-first
century. Four excellent books have been published covering various
aspects ofthe common bean since 1980. These books are: I) Bean
Production Problems nd in the Tropics (l SI ed. 1980, 2 ed. 1989), H. F.
Schwartz & M. A.
