Evaluations of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) Genotypes for agronomic traits and crude protein content across seven faba bean

Abstract

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is an important cool season protein rich food and feed legume belongs to fabaceae family. Twelve faba bean genotypes were evaluated in 2018/2019 cropping season across seven environments in Ethiopia using randomized complete block design with four replications. The combined analysis of variance showed highly significance difference among genotypes, environments and genotype by environment interaction effects (P<0.01) for seed yield, seed protein content, plant height, number of pods per plant, thousand seed weight, days to 50% flowering and days to maturity except for number of seeds per pod which showed non significance difference for interaction between genotypes and environments. The significant interaction among environment or genotype by environment interaction revealed that the environments were different and genotypes responded differently across environments so that developing environment specific or general adaptable varieties is crucial. The mean grain yield of environments ranged from 950.5 kg ha-1 at Adet to 4509.3 kg ha-1 at Holetta. The highest yield was obtained from standard check Tumsa variety (3171.8 kg ha-1) followed by G8 (EH 09017-5) and G6 (EH 010058-2) with mean grain yield 3125.3 kg ha-1 and 3081.4 kg ha-1, respectively whereas, the lowest yield was obtained from G7 (EH 09012-1), 2653.3 kg ha-1. In addition to high yielding potential G8 is early matured genotypes across the test locations and this provide opportunities for early mature faba bean production across the test environments. The relative means of genotypes across environments are adequate indicators of genotypic performance only in the absence of genotype by environment interaction. Therefore, G12, G8, and G6 were the three highest performing genotypes across the tested environments. The highest and the lowest thousand seed weight and seed protein content were recorded from G10 (EH 09028-3) 960.3g and 26.6% and G1 (Gora) 797.2g respectively. In terms of mean environment the highest thousand seed weight were recorded at Assasa (1198.2g), Debark (954.9g) and Holetta (862.8g) whereas the lowest 1000 seed weight were recorded at Adet (701.7g) followed by Kulumsa (803.1g). The highest number of pods per plant was recorded from the standard check Gora, G1 (11.8) and the lowest were obtained from G5 (EH 010058-1) or G6 (9.2) but the highest and lowest number of pod per plant were found at Kofele (15.5) and Debark (5.7) respectively.