The influence of soil water potential on the flowering pattern, pod set and yield of snap beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Abstract

The effect of the soil water potential on pod yield of snap beans grown with a series of irrigation frequencies was studied over two seasons. The treatments were to furrow-irrigate either weekly or fortnightly during the preflowering period, and each treatment then received weekly or fortnightly irrigations to harvest. These treatments were compared with trickle irrigation applied daily in the first season and every second day in the second season. The irrigation frequencies during the pre-flowering period did not influence the pod yield. However, in the second season plants given the trickle irrigation treatment produced more early flowers and set pods earlier than those in the other treatments. Consequently the pods were harvested three days earlier from plants on this treatment.