Effects of Spacing, Humic Acid and Boron on Growth, Seed Production and Quality of Broad Bean (Vicia faba var major L)

Abstract

Two field experiments were carried out in a private farm located at Bangar El Sokar region - Borg Al-Arab -Alexandria, Egypt, during winter growing season of 2014/2015 to study the effects of three spacing (10, 20 and 30 cm),three Humic acid (HA) rates (control, 1000 and 2000 mg l-1) and three boric acid rates (control, 2.5 and 5 mg l-1) on thevegetative growth, seed yield and its quality of broad bean plants.The results indicated that increasing spacing between broad bean plants lead to an increase in the numbers ofbranchesplant-1 and poor seeds percentage. While, plant height, seed yield fed-1 (ton) and good seeds percentage characterswere decreased by increasing spacing.Treated broad bean plants with humic acid increased plant height and the numbers of branches. However, usinghumic acid at rate 2000 mg l-1gave the highest mean value of fresh mass plant-1. While, increasing humic acid rate waslead to decrease the nods setting percentage. In addition to, application of 1000 mg l-1 of humic acid gave the highestmean value of the seed yield fed-1and good seed percentage, as well as the lowest percentage of poor seeds.The results showed that the highest mean values of plant height (cm) were obtained from treated plants with2.5 mg l-1 boric acid. Also, increasing boric acid rates up to 5 mg l-1 decreased the fresh mass of plant-1. Whereas, thehighest mean value of the earliness and nods setting percentage achieved by application 5 mg l-1 of boric acid. Increasingthe boric acid rates up to 5 mg l-1 was associated with increments in the average seed yield fed-1 and the good seedpercentage. In general, the highest dry seed yield fed-1, under conditions of Bangar El Sokar region - Borg Al-Arab –Alexandria, were achieved when sowing broad bean plants at 10 cm with the application of humic acid at rate 1000 mg l-1and foliar application of boric acid at rate 5 mg l-1.