Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the amount of heterosis and performance of faba bean synthetic cultivars compared to line cultivars under semi-arid conditions. Five inbred lines in at least S6 generation were developed and used to develop F1s hybrid (in all possible combination excluding reciprocal), lines mixtures (Syn-0) and synthetic generations of Syn-1. Evaluation of the entries showed the lines to have high general and specific combining ability, high yield and high average degree of cross-fertilization (0.36); hetrosis relative to mid-parent for yield was 67%. Lines mixture from four inbred lines (Hudeiba/93, Bassabier, Ed-Damar and Shabah) gave the highest yield of 3.40 t/ha for Syn-0 and 3.96 t/ha for Syn-1. Compared to the average yield t/ha of the pure stand of the four lines (3.11 t/ha), the increase in yield of was 9% in sy-0 and 27% in Syn-1. Compared to the individual yield t/ha of the pure stand of the lines, the performance of Syn-0 surpassed that of the individual pure stands of the linesby 14% for Hudiaba/93 and Bassabier and 4% for Ed-Damar and 7% for Shabah, whereas the increase in performance of Syn-1 compared to pure stand of the lines was 32%, 25% and 21%, respectively. The results confirm the previous knowledge on yield increase with successive syn-generations in faba bean due to the effects of heterogeneity and heterozygosity. Such results could be used as a base for an effective breeding program for improvement of yield of faba bean grown under the semi-arid zones.
Highlights
Faba bean is the most important food legume crop in North (Morocco, Egypt and Sudan) and East (Ethiopia) Africa
Compared to the individual yield t/ha of the pure stand of the lines, the performance of Syn-0 surpassed that of the individual pure stands of the linesby 14% for Hudiaba/93 and Bassabier and 4% for Ed-Damar and 7% for Shabah, whereas the increase in performance of Syn-1 compared to pure stand of the lines was 32%, 25% and 21%, respectively
Such results could be used as a base for an effective breeding program for improvement of yield of faba bean grown under the semi-arid zones
Summary
Faba bean is the most important food legume crop in North (Morocco, Egypt and Sudan) and East (Ethiopia) Africa. It contributes to the main human nutrition, supplying high quality protein crucial for a balance diet of millions of people who cannot afford meat as a source of protein. The crop is grown under irrigated condition in Egypt and Sudan and under rain-fed in Morocco and Ethiopia. In Sudan (semi-arid zone), despite their importance as highly nutritious food stuffs, the productivity of crop is instable and far below its potential. Climate change, where the weather is becoming hotter and the season is shorter at the traditional production areas in the north, is among the most important constrains of the low productivity in Sudan [2]
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