Performance of Common Bean Using Seeds Harvested from Plants Fertilized with High Rates of Molybdenum

Abstract

Three field trials were conducted with common bean. In the first trial, the effects of molybdenum (Mo) rates as foliar application on yield and Mo content of seeds were studied. In the other trials, a factorial 4×2 was used to investigate the effects of seeds with four Mo contents either with or without foliar Mo application. In the first, trial, seeds of the cv. ‘Pérola’ with 0.027 μ g Mo seed−1 were used in the following Mo treatments: (a) untreated control, (b) 90 g ha−1 at 21 days after emergence (DAE), (c) 180 g ha− 1 at 21 DAE, (d) 360 g ha− 1 at 21 DAE, (e) 720 g ha− 1 at 21 DAE, (f) 360 g ha− 1 at 17 DAE + 360 g ha− 1 at 23 DAE, (g) 1440 g ha− 1 at 21 DAE, (h) 720 g ha−1 at 17 DAE + 720 g ha− 1 at 23 DAE, (i) 360 g ha− 1 at 17 DAE + 360 g ha− 1 at 21 DAE + 360 g ha− 1 at 27 DAE + 360 g ha− 1 at 32 DAE. All plots received a basal fertilization of 32 kg N ha− 1, 49 kg P ha− 1, and 53 kg K ha− 1, with urea (110 kg ha− 1) as side dressing 14 days later. For the other trials, the following seed Mo contents were selected from the first trial: 0.080 ± 0.044, 0.096 ± 0.058, 0.722 ± 0.290, and 1.272 ± 0.579 μ g of Mo seed− 1. All plots received a basal fertilization of 24 kg N ha− 1, 37 kg P ha− 1, and 40 kg K ha− 1. Bean yields were not affected by the Mo treatments, and Mo contents of seed were increased from 0.096 (untreated control) to 1.272 μ g Mo seed− 1 (treatment i). Mo contents of seed did not affect yield when a N-rich soil was used. However, on a N-poor soil plants raised from seeds with 1.272 μ g Mo seed− 1 yielded more than those from seeds with low Mo content, especially when the plants did not receive Mo by foliar application. This investigation shows that it is possible to produce enriched seeds by foliar application of high Mo rates without grain yield reduction, and that plants raised from these seeds have a higher yield potential.