Release of ‘Kikatiti’ a multiple disease resistant pinto bean cultivar with superior productivity in Tanzania identified from evaluation of the Durango Diversity Panel

‘Kikatiti’ pinto bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) (Reg. no. CV-361, PI 705149) was developed by the dry bean breeding program at the University of Nebraska, Agricultural Research Division, and submitted for release in 2021 by the Sokoine University of Agriculture in Morogoro as an upright indeterminate pinto bean with high yield potential and multiple disease resistance across bean production environments in Tanzania. Kikatiti was officially released in 2024 by the National Seed Committee. Kikatiti is an F_7:8 derived line developed using the pedigree breeding method in Nebraska. The exceptional performance of Kikatiti in Tanzania was first identified by evaluation of the Durango Diversity Panel (DDP), which consisted of 200 accessions in on-station trials conducted in Arusha and Mbeya. Kikatiti was identified as accession DDP-094 (advanced breeding line NE2-09-3). Kikatiti yielded 1584 kg ha⁻¹ across 5 years of trials in Tanzania and matured in 89 days. Kikatiti is resistant to bean rust conferred by the Ur-3 and Ur-11 genes, resistant to all strains of Bean common mosaic virus and Bean common mosaic necrosis virus conferred by the I and bc-3 genes, moderately resistant to common bacterial blight conferred by the SAP6 quantitative trait locus, avoids white mold disease due to its upright architecture, and is moderately susceptible to angular leaf spot disease. Kikatiti has large seed size (35.9 g 100 seeds⁻¹), and in on-farm trials, farmers ranked Kikatiti above local pinto cultivars for its performance and market potential. Kikatiti has the potential to expand pinto bean production across East Africa.