YIELD OF FABA BEAN (Vicia faba, L.) AS INFLUENCED BY PLANTING DENSITY, HUMIC ACID RATE AND PHOSOHORUS FERTILIZATION LEVEL UNDER DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEM IN SANDY SOILS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Agron. Dept., Fac. Agric., Zagazig Univ., Egypt

Abstract

Two field experiments were carried out in the Agricultural Research Station, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, El-Khattara Region, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt, during the two winter seasons of 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 to find out the response of faba bean (improved Giza 3 cv.) to three planting densities (80000, 100000 and 120000 plants/fad.), three humic acid rates (zero, 2 and 4 kg humic acid/fad.) and four phosphorus levels (zero, 15.5, 31 and 46.5 kg P2O5/fad.). The results of the combined analysis revealed that increasing planting density significantly decreased number of pods and branches/plant, and seed weight/plant as well as protein yield/fad., while, plant height and biological yield/fad., were significantly increased by increasing plant densities up to 120000 plants/fad. The highest value of seed yield/fad., was obtained by planting faba bean on density 100000 plants/fad. Results of the combined analysis also showed that, increasing humic acid rates up to 4 kg/fad., significantly increased number of pods/plant, weight of seeds/plant and protein yield/fad., but, hundred seed weight, plant height and number of branches/plant were not affected by the application of humic acid. Meanwhile, biological and seed yields/fad., were responded to the application of humic acid rate up to 2 kg/fad. In general, application of phosphorus fertilizer up to 46.5 kg P2O5/fad., significantly increased all traits under study such as number of branches and pods/plant, weight of seeds/plant, seed and biological yields/fad., and protein yield/fad as compared to other rates (combined data), while, hundred seed weight significantly increased by increasing P levels up to 31 kg P2O5/fad. Interaction results showed that, faba bean plants received 31 kg P2O5/fad., and 2 kg humic acid/fad., or received 2 kg humic acid under medium density (100000 plants/fad.) produced the highest value of seed yield/fad.

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