Extent and Pattern of Seed Setting in Faba Bean Under Self and Open Pollination Arrangement and Its Influence on Seed Production

Abstract

Faba bean is cheapest sources of protein and other nutrients including minerals, cool season legume crop. To know the magnitude of cross-pollination, an experiment was conducted with seven genotypes, under control/self and open-pollinated condition at ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region Patna during cool seasons 2016-17. Experiments on faba bean are being regularly conducting since the cool season of 2007-08. Results revealed that seed yield and yield attributing traits has been reduced under the controlled/self-pollinating condition as compare to open/crosspollinated condition, though the reduction was not same for all tested genotypes. The magnitude of yield reduction was in the range of 13.3 to 41.7 percent. Harvest Index was also gets diminished from maximum 49.2 to 21.7% with reduction of minimum 37.8 % to maximum 50.7%. It was also observed that honey bee (Apis mellifera) was the major pollinator bee. Results clearly indicate that apoides play a decisive role in therealization of potential yield by the cross-pollination mechanism of allogames faba bean.