The Effect of Three Depths of Mechanical Seed Drill (Gaspardo SC-250) on the Performance of Vicia Faba L. Bean for Yield Characteristics and Components

Abstract

Current study was conducted on a farm in two sites: the center of Kirkuk Governorate and Hawija District, during the 2022–2023 agricultural season. It focused on two factors: the seeding depths of the Gaspardo SC-250 machine (at 2, 3, and 6 cm) and three varieties (local, Yildiz, and Aquadulce). The land was divided according to a randomized complete block design (RCBD) according to a split-plot system with three replicates. The study allocated the sowing depth factor to the main panels and the variety factor to the secondary panels. The findings showed a notable improvement in yield characteristics and components when sowing depths were increased at both sites. It was observed that the total yield of dry seeds was significantly influenced by sowing depths at both sites, with D3 showing superior results, producing 2074.91 kg/ha and 7854.71 kg/ha, respectively. We observed that the Aquadulce variety had the highest yield rate, producing 5503.64 kg/ha and 7441.37 kg/ha, respectively. There was a significant impact of sowing depths and varieties on this trait at both sites. Specifically, at the Kirkuk site, the Aquadulce variety had the highest yield at depth D1, with 8413.83 kg/ha. At the Hawija site, the Aquadulce variety outperformed the other varieties at depth D3, yielding 9863.83 kg/ha. This superior performance was attributed to the quality of its components, resulting in a significant increase in the final yield.