On the Origin of the Common Bean (<i>Phaseolus vulgaris</i> L.)

Abstract

Phylogeographic methods provide the tools to accurately access the geographic origin and diversification of crop spe cies. In the present commentary, I urge the common bean community to face those methods and a tree-thinking mental ity with regards to the long standing debate of the origin of common bean. Such efforts will ultimately bring back inter est into wild bean studies and reinforce the uniqueness of this species as a system to study diversification, domestication and adaptive processes across the two most diverse hotspots in the world.