The National Institute of Innovation and Transfer of Agricultural Technology (INTA) and the University of Costa Rica (UCR), developed a new variety of bean called Urán. From this development, bean producers now have a new variety of red beans, which is characterized by its high yield and good adaptation to low fertility soils.
The research on Urán began in 2016, and it was evaluated for 7 years in different producing areas of the country. Its progress was carried out with the Participatory Plant Breeding methodology, which implies the participation of producers. First, the UCR produces the variety, and then the National Production Council (CNP), with the participation of small seed producers, produces the registered and certified seed, ready to be made available to national producers.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), Urán shows a higher yield than the Cabécar variety (3 quintals more per hectare), which is the most cultivated in the country. In addition, specialists from INTA and the UCR indicated that this type of red bean is resistant to the golden yellow mosaic virus, one of the diseases that most frequently attack this crop.
The launch of this type of bean took place in San Antonio de Caño Negro, in Los Chiles de Alajuela. In this way, it now joins the red varieties: Bribrí, Cabécar, Telire, Curré, Gibre, Diquis, and Tayní.
