GROWTH AND YIELD COMPONENTS OF DWARF FRENCH BEAN GROWN UNDER IRRIGATION CONDITIONS

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Dwarf French bean for processing can be sown in north-western Croatia from the beginning of May to mid July. Growing of French bean sown in summer, after winter or early-spring crops, may be risky in some years because of high air temperature and water deficiency in the soil. The aim of three-year investigations (1992 - 1994) was to determine the influence of irrigation upon growth parameters and yield components of dwarf French bean grown as secondary crop, after pea for processing has been harvested. French bean cv. 'Groffy' was sown on 14 July 1992 and 26 June 1993, and cv. 'Hystyle' on 30 June 1994. Irrigation influenced more uniform emergence, earlier flowering and a greater number of generative organs per plant. Crops grown without irrigation reached maturity 1 to 3.5 weeks later, depending on the investigation year. Depending on the climatic conditions prevailing in a particular investigation year, nonirrigated crops had 1.8 to 5.2 times more plants without a single processable pod than irrigated crops. Without irrigation, the overall plant height was by 17% to 36% lower while the height to the first pod by 16% to 44% lower. At the same time, under irrigation, the overall number of pods per plant was increased by 36% to 105%, number of processable pods per plant by 68% to 161%, and the average pod mass by 16% to 90%. Under irrigation, the pod yield per plant was 2.6 to 3.4 times higher, and the yield per unit area 1.6 to 4.5 times higher.