Effect of water stress and potassium foliar application on the productmty of faba bean plants [electronic resource].

Includes references.

Two field experiments were carried out at the Agricultural Experimental Station of National Research Centre at Shalakan, Kalubia Governorate during 2001/2002 and 2002/2003 seasons to study the effect of water stress (missing one irrigation either at flowering or pod formation stage) and foliar application of K (0,1 and 1.5 L/fed.) on the yield and its attributes as well as carbohydrates content and yield of faba bean (cv. Giza 643). Results revealed that missing one irrigation at any of the two studied stages significantly reduced plant height, number of both branches and pods per plant, weight of both pods and seeds per' plant as well as 100 - seed weight as compared with the control plants. The harmful effect of water stress was more pronounced whenever drought conditions were coincided with pod formation stage. Similar tendency was noticed regarding seed, straw, biological and carbohydrate yields per feddan as well as carbohydrate content. On the other hand, increasing the concentration of K up to 1.5 L/fed. remarkably increased the aforementioned characters. The results suggested that irrigation every 30 days and application of K with 1. S L/fed. could be recommended for maximum yield of faba bean under similar conditions.

Summary in Arabic.

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