Response of Some Faba Bean Cultivars to Planting Dates Under Nubaria Region Conditions

INTRODUCTION

Faba bean (Vicia faba, L.) is one of essential winter crop in Egypt due to its high nutritive value, high protein contents (25 – 40 %) and good of nutritive minerals, such as P, K, Ca, S, and Fe. Faba bean protein considered a cheap source of protein and food of high nutritive value especially in the diet of low– income people as compared with expensive meat and fish protein, also faba bean fixed N in agricultural systems. The crop is also used as animal fodder and green manure. It is the most important legume crop for human and livestock in Egypt. It makes an important contribution to the diet of people in many countries. It represents a very interesting class of food crops due to its high protein content. It can grow successfully in different soil types and it increases soil fertility (Mohamed, 2003; Aljubouri, 2006 and Jensen et al., 2010).

Increasing faba bean production is the major target of the national agriculture policy and can be achieved through both increasing the cultivated area and growing the high yielding and stable cultivars under favourable environmental conditions. Therefore, to improve yield and quality of faba bean, it is imperative to search for the suitable and integrated cultural practices such as proper sowing date, appropriate plant density and well adapted cultivars.The main aim to meet the demand of the increasing Egyptian population by increasing faba bean production and improving yield quality using high yielding cultivars and good agricultural practices, since faba bean constitutes a major part of the diet of Egyptian people (Zeidan, 2002 and Kandil et al., 2015).

Sowing date is one of the most important cultural practices that result in great differences in growth and yield of seed legumes and it is usually used in farming systems to avoid heat stress, drought, pests or diseases which may occur early or late in the growing season (Khalil et al., 2011).Sowing dates refer to the effect of all environmental conditions on large scale on growth, yield and its components of faba bean crop which differ widely from region to another. Sowing date is an important factor which significantly affects the timing and duration of vegetative and reproductive stages consequently yield and its components (Refay,2001; Turk and Tawaha, 2002).Delaying sowing from Oct. 15 to Nov. 25 resulted in increases for number of seeds/pod (16.14%) in the first season, and seed index (7.74 and 8.28%) in both seasons. However, seeds number/ plant and seed yield/faddan were decreased by (6.88 and 24.84) and (28.85 and 15.84%) respectively, in the two seasons. The highest seed weight/plant was recorded from the intermediate date in the first season and from the earliest date in the second one. Sowing on Nov. 5 gave the highest harvest index in both seasons, seed protein content was decreased with delaying sowing date, and however, seed carbohydrate content was not affected by sowing dates(Sharaan et al., 2004). The highest values of vegetative characters yield and seed protein content of faba bean were obtained at the sowing date 25 October. However the lowest values were recorded at the planting date 10 December (EL-Metwally et al., 2013).

Environmental effects significantly affected the performance of the present faba bean genotypes. However, the evaluation for two seasons under the same location has led to narrower environmental fluctuation, which might have resulted in insignificant effects of season on the performance of yield and some of the important components such as biological yield and 100-seed weight (Alghamdi, 2007).The tested cultivars showed significant differences for all of growth and yield characters of faba bean, in both cropping seasons (Sharaan et al., 2004). There was significant difference among faba bean cultivars under the study in most of studied parameters. Whereas, "Sakha 2" cultivar recorded significantly superior. "Sakha 2" and "Giza 3" improved and recorded the highest values of growth and yield of faba bean (Abido and Seadh, 2014). Also, Kandil et al. (2015) stated that there were significant differences among three cultivars, where, the cultivar Nubaria 2 gave the highest mean values of plant height (cm), total chlorophyll, pod length (cm), number of pods/plant, seed, straw and biological yields, harvest index (H.I.%) and seed protein % . While the “Nubaria 1” cv., recorded the lowest ones during both seasons. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of planting dates on growth, yield and its components of some faba bean cultivars (Vicia faba, L.) and their interaction.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two filed experiments were conducted at Nubaria Agriculture Research Station, El-Behira Governorate, Egypt, during the growing seasons of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 to study response of four faba bean cultivars (Nubaria 1, Nubaria 2, Nubaria 3 and Misr 3) to three planting dates (1^st October, 15^th October and 30^th October) under Nubaria conditions.The experimental design was split plot design with three replications during both growing seasons. Whereas, the main plots were designated for three planting dates, while subplot were located for four faba bean cultivars.Some soil properties were determined according to the method described by Page et al. (1982) were presented in Table (1).

Table (1). Some soil properties of the experimental sites at Nubaria in 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 seasons

The preceeding crop in the experimental site was maize (Zea mays, L.) in the first and the second seasons. Each sub plot consisted of 6 ridges, 3 meters in length, 60 cm width and 20 cm between hills. The field experiment was ploughed twice then it was fertilized by phosphorus fertilizer, it was applied before planting as single Calcium- Super Phosphate (15.5% P₂O₅) at the rate of 200 kg/fed, and potassium sulphate (48 % K₂O), was added at rate of 50 kg/fed, before planting with soil preparation. Faba bean seed treated with Rhizobium inoculation (R. leguminosum cv. Vicieae bacterium) suspension containing 10 cell bacterium per one gram. However, nitrogen fertilizer was applied as urea fertilizer (46% N) at the rates 20 kg N/fed, as one dose with first irrigation. Other agricultural practices for growing faba bean plants applied as recommendation by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Plant height (cm), Total chlorophyll content, Pod length (cm), Number of pods/plant, Number of seeds/pod, 100- seed weight (g), Seed yield (kg/fed.), Straw yield (kg/fed.), Biological yield (kg/fed.), and Harvest index (HI) were studied in both seasons. The Chlorophyll pigments were measured by direct digital reading on chlorophyll meter SPAD-502, where the value measured by the chlorophyll present in the plant leaf. The values are calculated based on the amount of light transmitted by the leaf in two wave lengths in which the absorbance of chlorophyll is different. Total chlorophyll was determined by digital apparatus (SPAD-502) according to Murillo-Amador et al. (2004) who suggested the following equation to transferred SPAD units to µg cm^-2.

Y = –2.79 + 0.88 * X; Where, X= SPAD units

All data collected were subjected to analysis of variance according to Gomez and Gomez (1984). All statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance technique by means of CoStat computer software package(CoStat, Ver. 6.311., 2005).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Data presented in Table (2) shows that planting date effected, significantly, on plant height (cm), total chlorophyll content, pod length (cm), number of pods/plant, and number of seeds/ pod in both cropping seasons. Whereas, the highest mean values of the mentioned characters recorded with the second date at 15^th October followed by 1^st October and 30^th October which gave the lowest ones during two copping seasons. The finding in agreement with those obtained by Sharaan et al. (2004) and Khalil et al. (2011).

Regarding faba bean cultivars effect on plant height, total chlorophyll content, pod length (cm), number of pods/plant, and number of seeds/pod, data in Table (2) shows, significant, differences among faba bean cultivars for these characters in both growing seasons. The cultivar “Nubaria 2” recorded the highest mean values of these characters, while “Nubaria 1” cultivar gave the lowest ones in two growing seasons. On the other hand, there was no significant difference between Nubaria 2 and Nubaria 3 on plant height (cm) in the second season, number of pods/plant in the first and second season. These differences between field bean are mainly due to genetically differences make up between the four cultivars.Alghamdi (2007) and Kiyanbakht et al. (2015) found high significant differences between the faba bean cultivars under their studies for plant height. The rapid rise in temperature during the spring months to super optimal levels imposes a light on yield potential by encouraging flower and young pod drop and reducing the duration for reproductive growth.

Planting dates interact, significantly, with faba bean cultivars on plant height (cm), total chlorophyll content, pod length (cm), number of pods/plant, and number of seeds/pod during both cropping seasons (Table 2). Likewise, sowing faba bean cv. “Nubaria 2” on the second date 15 of October recorded the highest mean values of these characters except plant height in the first and second season. Meanwhile, the lowest mean values of that characters were achieved by the third date in last of October with “Nubaria 1” cultivar in the first and the second season, respectively.

The presented data in Table (3) show that 100- seed weight (g), seed yield (kg/fed.) as well as harvest index % (HI) were affected, significantly, by planting date, except biological yield (kg/fed.) in both cropping season, and straw yield (kg/fed.) only in second season. Where, the highest mean values of yield characters were given by planting bean in the second date at 15^th October, meanwhile, 30^th October gave the lowest ones during two seasons. The finding are in harmony with the results obtained by Sharaan et al. (2004); Talal and Ghalib (2006); Khalil et al. (2011); EL-Metwally et al. (2013) observed that sowing faba bean after 15^th October decreased yield and its components.

Faba bean cultivars had significant difference on yield characters except biological yield (kg/fed.) in the two seasons, and straw yield (kg/fed.) in second season, only as shown in Table (3). The faba bean cultivar “Nubaria 2” gave the highest mean values of yield characters i.e. 100- seed weight (g), seed yield and HI % in the two season, but the heaviest straw yield obtained when planting “Nubaria 3” cultivar in the first season. Meanwhile planting cultivar “Nubaria 1” recorded the lowest ones in both seasons. On the other hand, there was no significant difference between Nubaria 3 and Misr 3 on straw yield in the first season. These differences between field beans are mainly due to genetically differences make up between the four cultivars.Alghamdi (2007); Khalil et al. (2015); Kiyanbakht et al. (2015)revealed that there was high significant differences among the faba bean cultivars under their studies.

The interaction effect between planting dates and cultivar (Table 3), were, found to be significantly, difference on yield characters. Where, sowing faba bean cv. Nubaria 2 on the second date 15^th of October gave the highest mean values of 100- seed weight (g), seed, straw, biological yield (kg/fed.) as well as harvest index (HI %) in both cropping seasons. Meanwhile, planting “Nubaria 1” cultivar on the third date at 30^th of October recorded the lowest mean values of that yield characters in the first and the second season, respectively.

Phenotypic coefficient of variation values for most characters was closer than the corresponding genotypic coefficient of variation values showing environment effect on the expression of growth and yield characters. The estimated values of broad-sense heritability were found to be between 27 (stand count at emergence) and 81% (seed yield). Heritability values determined were 72, 67, 65, 46, 44, 53, 58 and 45% for 100 seed weight, biological yield, number of pods per plant, number of pods per node, disease status, days to flowering, days to maturity and plant height, respectively. Positive and significant correlation coefficients were also obtained between number of pods per node and each of plant height, number of pods/plant and number of nodes per plant. Pods per plant had a significant positive correlation with plant height (Mulualem et al., 2013). A significant and positive correlation was reported between seed yield and plant height, 100-seed weight, seed weight/plant and biological yield, but a negative correlation was determined with maturity date (Alghamdi and Ali, 2004).

CONCLUSION

As a result of this two growing season’s field^’s study, it was concluded that yield, its components of faba bean crop increased with planting “Nubaria 2” cultivar at mid of October which recorded the highest seed yield under study conditions at Nubaria Region, El-Behira Governorate, Egypt.

Table (2). Average of vegetative and reproductive characters of faba bean cultivars (C) as affected by sowing date (D) and their interaction during 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 seasons.