Among the pathogens that most contribute for reducing the productivity of beans in Brazil is the Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli. The use of resistant cultivars is the most effective control for this pathogen. The aim of this study was to evaluate germoplasm bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) lines of the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA) as the reaction to the Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli and at the same time, to estimate the genetic and phenotypic parameters that could help in future programs of improvement for this character. Three hundred and sixty seven lines were evaluated in ten experiments. The controls' Carioca'(susceptible) and 'Carioca MG'(resistant) were used in all experiments. The experimental design used was a entirely randomized one, with five replicates and plots of one plant per pot. The inoculations were carried out following the method of cutting and dumping of roots in the suspension of spores of the fungus and the assessments conducted at 21 days after inoculation based on the index of severity of the disease employing up notes of 1 (plants without symptoms) to 9 (dead plants). Among the lines of germoplasm bank of the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA) assessed, 36.5% were resistant to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli. Among the resistance, most of the lines were obtained before 1990: out of the 18 lines of the experiments of VCU evaluated in 2005/06, only four were susceptible. The estimate of heritability (h²) was high (h² = 87%), indicating that, in principle, the character is of easy selection.
Resistant lines; fusarium wilt; Phaseolus vulgaris
