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Irrigation effects on the development and yield of determinate and indeterminate forms of autumn‐sown faba bean
Author(s) -
Pilbeam Colin J,
Hebblethwaite Paul D,
Yusuf Augustine A
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740530403
Subject(s) - vicia faba , cultivar , irrigation , agronomy , yield (engineering) , indeterminate , point of delivery , biology , limiting , agriculture , mathematics , ecology , materials science , mechanical engineering , pure mathematics , metallurgy , engineering
Large and erratic seasonal variations in yield of faba beans (Vicia faba L) are attributed to the responsiveness of indeterminate cultivars to changes in water supply. A field trial at the University of Nottingham School of Agriculture Farm examined the response of an indeterminate cultivar (Bourdon) and a determinate selection (858) to different levels of water supply at different stages of growth. The trial was sown in the autumn of each of three consecutive seasons beginning in 1985. By limiting the availability of photosynthate to the reproductive sinks, water stress at the pod‐filling stage reduced the numbers of each component of yield and so yield itself. It was suggested that this was the moisturesensitive stage. Bourdon was a larger plant and had more reproductive nodes than 858. However, although the yield of 858 was consequently less than that of Bourdon, it showed much less variation in response to water supply. It is proposed that determinate forms may improve the yield stability of faba bean.