Growth of the Broad Bean (Vicia faba) Under the Edaphoclimatic Conditions of Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil

Abstract

The cultivation of the Vicia faba, commonly referred to as broad bean, is still not widely spread in Brazil, mainly due to the lack of scientific information on the growth and development of the species. In this context, quantitative research on growth is necessary to better understand the various aspects related to development rates and carbohydrate accumulation in plant organs. Thus, the objective of this work was to analyze the growth of the Italian broad bean during the winter-spring period in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina. In the experiment, a randomized block design with plots subdivided over time was adopted, evaluating leaf area (LA), total dry mass (TDM), absolute growth rate (AGR), relative growth rate (RGR), and net assimilation rate (NAR) at 21, 35, 49, 63, 77, 91, 105, 119, 133, and 147 days after emergence (DAE). The distribution of assimilates in the different plant organs showed sigmoid patterns. A greater accumulation of LA and TDM was observed at 99 and 133 DAE, respectively. Regarding AGR, the maximum values were recorded at 119 and 133 DAE. The rates of AGR, NAR, and RGR varied throughout the cycle, without showing a defined quantitative performance pattern, possibly due to climatic fluctuations and the intrinsic growth rates of the species.