Variety, seeding rate and disease control affect faba bean yield components

I. Plūduma-Pauniņa¹²*, Z. Gaile¹, B. Bankina¹ and R. Balodis¹

¹Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Agriculture, Institute of Soil and Plant Science, Liela street 2, LV-3001 Jelgava, Latvia
²Latvia University of Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Research and Study Farm “Pēterlauki”, Platone parish, LV-3021, Latvia
*Correspondence: ievapluuduma@inbox.lv

Abstract:

Faba beans (Vicia faba L.) have been grown since 8000 years B.C. in the Middle East. Despite their long growing history in the world, there are only few researches carried out in Baltic region in last decades about variety, seeding rate and disease control effect on faba beans’ growth, development and yield formation. Research was carried out at the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies during 2015–2017. Three factors were researched: A – variety (‘Laura’, ‘Boxer’, ‘Isabell’), B – seeding rate (30, 40 and 50 germinate able seeds m^-2), C – treatment with fungicide (with and without application of fungicide Signum (1 kg ha^-1)). Meteorological conditions were diverse and sometimes caused stress for crop, but in general they favoured faba beans’ growth and development. High average yield of the field beans was obtained during all three trial years, however, yield differed significantly among them. Sowing time was constantly quite early, germination took longer time as expected due to the low air temperature, but later, temperature and humidity level improved and conditions were suitable for plant growth and development with some exceptions during flowering and pod filling. Number of productive stems per 1 m² was significantly affected only by seeding rate. Plant height in trial site was affected by variety (p < 0.001), fungicide application (p = 0.008) and meteorological conditions (p < 0.001) of the year. Number of pods per plant differed depending on trial year (p < 0.001). Number of seeds per plant had a close positive correlation with number of pods per plant. Whereas number of seeds per pod was a relatively stable and typical characteristic for variety. We can observe correlation between faba bean yield and number of productive stems per 1 m² at harvest, plant height, number of pods and seeds per plant.

Key words:

agrotechnology, field beans, phenology, yield components

Field Bean (Vicia faba L.) Yield and Quality Depending on Some Agrotechnical Aspects

I. Plūduma-Pauniņa¹³*, Z. Gaile¹, B. Bankina² and R. Balodis¹

¹Latvia University of Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Institute of Agrobiotechnology, Liela street 2, LV-3001, Jelgava, Latvia
²Latvia University of Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Institute of Soil and Plant Science, Liela street 2, LV-3001, Jelgava, Latvia
³Latvia University of Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Research and Study Farm "Pēterlauki", Platone parish, LV-3021, Latvia
*Correspondence: ievapluuduma@inbox.lv

Abstract:

Despite growing interest about field beans (Vicia faba L.), only few researches have been carried out in Baltic countries on the possibility to increase field beans’ yield and quality depending on different agrotechnical measures. Field trial was carried out in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Researched factors during all years were: A – variety (’Laura’, ’Boxer’, ’Isabell’), B – seeding rate (30, 40 and 50 germinate able seeds m^-2), C – treatment with fungicide (with and without application of fungicide). Beans’ yield (t ha^-1) and yield quality characteristics were detected in the trial. Temperature and moisture conditions were mostly suitable for high yield formation of field beans in all three trial years. In all three trial years, field bean yield has been significantly affected by all factors. The highest yield (p = 0.001) was provided by variety ‘Boxer’ in all years (6.10–7.74 t ha^-1). Thousand seed weight (TSW) was significantly affected by variety and fungicide application. From agronomical point of view, crude protein level was not importantly affected by seeding rate changes or fungicide application. Volume weight was affected significantly by increased seeding rate only in 2016. Fungicide application also did not affect volume weight significantly during the whole trial period. Field bean yield increased by each year, but the main tendencies in all years were the same: higher yield and TSW was provided by variety ‘Boxer’, but higher protein content and volume weight – by ‘Isabell’. Seeding rate increase gave positive impact on yield. Fungicide application affected field bean yield, but did not affect its quality significantly.

Key words: