Impact of Field Application with Salicylic Acid on Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) Growth, Yield and Accumulation of Phenolic Compounds in Storage Seeds under Infestation with Acanthoscelides obtectus

Abstract

In this study, two field experiments were performed during two summer seasons of 2014 and 2015 at theAgricultural Research Station, Faculty of Agriculture Alexandria University , Egypt, to assess the effect of fourconcentrations of salicylic acid (0, 250, 500, 750 ppm) on plant growth and productivity of four common bean cultivars(bronco, kentuky wonder, stingless green and tender pick). After harvesting, we determined the effect of bean cultivars(bronco and kentuky wonder), salicylic acid (SA) concentrations and seeds storage period on bean seeds infestation withAcanthoscelides obtectus either in field or in stores. Also, the losses of seeds weight during storage, and the accumulationof some phenolic compounds in treated common bean seeds either in infected and uninfected seeds were investigated. Theresults showed that, the highest value for total yield was observed when spraying bronco with 250 ppm of SA. Bronco andTender pick showed a clear simulative response to the small dose of SA, which showed significant (p=0.05) increase intotal yield than control. However, the other two cultivars kentuky wonder and stingless green didn’t show a clear responseto SA levels. Also, the obtained results revealed that the bean cultivars, application with different concentrations of SAand seeds storage period significantly affect the infestation of bean seeds with A. obtectus either in field or in stores, andon the losses of seeds weight during storage. The concentrations of the tested phenolics increased in infected seeds,application with SA and kentuky wonder cultivar.