Effects of Faba Bean Leaves in Different Positions on the Yield and Photosynthetic Compensation after Defoliation

Abstract

AbstractIn a field experiment in the winter seasons of 1985/86 and 1988/89 at Xichang, China, the effects of defoliation on seed yield of Vicia faba and its photosynthetic compensation were investigated by removing all leaves, some leaves from different plant positions at the beginning of flowering and the beginning of pod formation. Seed yield decreased by 37.3–52.3 % in plants with upper leaves removed at the beginning of flowering. Removal of middle leaves at the beginning of pod formation had the most significant effect, followed by the of upper and lower leaves removed, causing yield decreases of 43.4–64.3 %, 18.6–24.7 % and 8.9–12.3 %, respectively. Removal of leaves at the beginning of pod formation resulted in a greater reduction in seed yield, total dry weight, harvest index, and number of pods and seeds per plant than leaf removal at the beginning of flowering.The photosynthetic rate and export rate of photosynthate of upper leaves at the beginning of flowering, and middle leaves at the beginning of pod formation were the greatest during both years of the experiment. Photosynthetic rate increased and reached its maximum at 4–5 days after leaf removal, then decreased, but, yet greater than the control leaves at 9–11 days after leaf removal. In the meantime, transport of photosynthetic products was accelerated. In general, removal of leaves from the upper and middle third of the plant increased the export rate of photosynthate by ca. 20 %. Photosynthetic compensation could not fully make up the loss caused by leaf removal, so grain yield was decreased by all treatments. The full defoliation decreased yield by > 70 %.