Bean Production Research Articles

Evaluation of Common Bean (<i>Phaseolus vulgaris </i>L) Cultivars for Yield and Yield-Related Traits at Sekoru District, South Western Ethiopia

The low productivity of common beans is attached to many yield constraints such as lack of improved varieties; poor management practices, biotic and abiotic factors. This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of improved common bean varieties for yield and yield related traits in the Sekoru district of the Jimma zone and identify high-yielding varieties for the study area. Eleven released and one local common bean variety were tested in two locations (Yero Sekoru and Inkure), using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Data were collected for 12 quantitative traits and subjected to analysis using SAS software. The interaction effect of genotype by location showed a highly significant variation for all traits except for plant height, dry biomass yield, and hundred seed weight. The phenotypic coefficient of variation was higher than the genotypic coefficient of variation for all traits. Higher The phenotypic coefficient of variation was recorded for 100 seed weight (52.78), pod length (28.9), pods per plant (27.63), harvest index (25.94) and seed yield (24.6) and also a high genotypic coefficient of variance (GCV) was observed for 100 seed weight (20.24) and pods per plant (20.34). Low (20) and high (93.5) heritability in broad sense were recorded in days to 50% flowering and dry biomass yield, respectively. At the phenotypic level, all traits had a positive phenotypic significant correlation with seed yield per hectare except for primary branches per plant day to 95% physiological maturity and hundred seed weight, while a negative significant correlation with seed yield per hectare was observed for days to 50% flowering. Genotypic path coefficient analysis indicates that the traits studied showed a positive direct effect on seed yield per hectare, while plant height, primary branches and secondary branches per plant, days to 50% flowering, days to 95% physiological maturity and 100 seed weight exhibited a negative direct effect. However, a positive direct phenotypic effect was observed for traits such as dry biomass yield, pod length, primary branches per plant, seeds per pod, and days to 95% physiological maturity. Among the varieties tested in both locations, the highest yield was recorded for the Ser119 variety (2865.2 kg/ha) followed by the Ser125 variety (2699.2 kg/ha). Therefore, recommending these varieties to farmers in the study area is very important to increase production and income.

Performance Evaluation and Adaptability of Improved Faba Bean (Vicia Faba L.) Varieties in the Highlands of North Shewa Zone, Oromia

Field experiment was conducted at Degam, H/Abote, D/Libanos, Jida and Wachale districts of North Shewa Zone, Oromia region, Central Ethiopia with the objectives of evaluating adaptable and best yield performing improved Faba bean varieties for further demonstration and scaling up during the main cropping season of 2020, 2021 and 2022. The experiment was conducted using randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. In the experiment, thirteen improved faba bean varieties and one local control were used to evaluate their performance. Parameters like seed yield (qt/ha), 1000 seed weight in gram, number of pod per plant, number of seed per pod, plant height (cm) were measured to assess the actual field performances of different faba bean varieties. The data were analyzed by R software. Grain yield and most of yield components were significantly affected by main effect of variety, environment and interaction of variety and environment. The results revealed that there were significant (P < 0.01) variations between the varieties for yield. Higher yield was recorded on Welki and Ashebeka varieties while low yield was recorded from Tosha and Shalo. In addition the stability analysis indicated that as the mean of grain yield is more stable across locations as compared to other variety. Also, in this study it was found that there is 24.5 % and 19.1% increment of yield using of Welki and Ashebeka variety respectively as compared to local variety at the study area. Therefore, farmers located at the study area are recommended to use those varieties to increase faba bean production yield.

Effect of Intercropping by Flax, Radish and Fenugreek on Faba Bean, <i>Vicia faba</i> L., Production and Reduction of <i>Orobanche crenata</i> Forsk Seed Bank

Faba bean <i>Vicia faba</i> L. is a primary source of protein in the diet of masses in Egypt. Broom-rape, <i>Orobanche crenata</i> Forsk (Orobanchaceae), present great threat parasitic weed to some crops in Egypt including faba bean. Egyptian farmers were forced to abandon growing faba bean crops due to <i>O. crenata</i> heavy soil infestation. Several methods have been used for controlling this parasite, but without obvious success. Many researches have shown that intercropping has been more effective than monocropping in suppression of parasitic weeds. The effect of intercropping (fenugreek, radish and flax) using two resistant cultivars (Giza 843& Misr 3) on the emergence of the broomrape spikes and faba bean production were carried out. Intercropping flax or fenugreek among faba bean cultivars, caused a significant reduction in the infestation levels of <i>O. crenata</i> and increased the faba bean yield compared with sole treatments. Flax was more effective in the reducing infestation rate by <i>O. crenata</i> than fenugreek. This reduction appeared to be related to reduced seed germination which may have been as a result of allelochemicals released by fenugreek roots, though this was not confirmed in this study. The reduction in weed infestation was more pronounced in Giza 843, than in Misr 3. Flax treatment showed the lowest weed infestation compared with other intercropping treatments. Fenugreek intercropping treatment resulted in the highest pod yield for both Giza 843 and Misr 3. Using resistant cultivars intercropping with fenugreek or flax is very promising trend that generally combines both good yield and low number of emerged spikes that reduce broomrape seed bank in the infected soils, with variations depending on the cultivar and growing season.

Genetic and pathogenic characterization of Rhizoctonia solani AG-4 isolates obtained from common bean

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the most important grain legume. Crop production of common bean is affected by a number of diseases, such as Rhizoctonia root rot, being detected worldwide. Herein, we aimed to genetically and pathologically characterize Rhizoctonia solani isolates obtained from different provinces in Turkey. Anastomosis groups (AG) and subgroups of isolates were identified based on the sequence analysis of the rDNA-ITS region. The most prevalent subgroup was AG-4 HGIII, according to BLAST analysis and the phylogeny of resultant sequences, followed by AG-4 HGI and AG-4 HGII, respectively. iPBS retrotransposons highly supported the phylogenetic tree and provided a high level of genetic variability among isolates to discriminate AG subgroups. The results indicated that the iPBS DNA marker system based on retrotransposons could be used to discriminate Rhizoctonia isolates relying on AG grouping. The virulence of the pathogen isolates changed from 3.67 to 5 based on the agar-plate assay on the susceptible cv. Gina. The reactions of thirty common bean cultivars were also evaluated against the most aggressive isolate in each subgroup. The reaction assay showed significant differences among both isolates and cultivars; the highest disease severity among cultivars was observed to AG-4 HGI, followed by AG-4 HGIII and AG-4 HGII, respectively. None of the cultivars showed resistance to all AG subgroups. Screening of AGs among the isolates and selecting cultivars are critical to managing Rhizoctonia disease due to the range of host suitability according to AG subgroups.

Technological quality of common bean landraces from organic cropping system

Beans are an important constituent of the Brazilian diet, and the search for cultivars with good culinary characteristics and adapted to the place of cultivation is necessary. It is known that there is a wide genetic diversity for common bean landrace cultivars. Still, little is known experimentally about the behavior of these cultivars when produced under organic cultivation. This work aimed to evaluate the technological quality of common bean landraces produced under organic cropping system. Twenty-six cultivars were used, four commercial and twenty-two landraces, originating from the Active Bean Germplasm Bank (BAF) of Santa Catarina State University – Agroveterinary Sciences Center (UDESC/CAV), produced in organic and conventional cultivation, in two crops. Cooking time and resistance, percentage of water absorption and broken grains and total soluble solids were evaluated. The shortest cooking time for the grains cultivated in the organic system (18 to 22 minutes) was obtained. The cultivars that had a percentage of unbroken grains between 60 and 80% showed a higher content of total soluble solids in the broth. Based on the genetic diversity for technological quality in organic cropping system, the use of cultivars, BAFs: 60, 23, 81, 13, 68, 55, 75 and 36 are indicated to integrate genetic improvement programs or to be used by small farmers for bean production.

Factors Influencing Smallholder Bean Producer’s Participation in Collective Marketing in Kawambwa, Luwingu and Senga Hill Districts of Zambia

Commercialization of agricultural produce through cooperatives that undertake collective marketing can decrease transactions costs for smallholder farmers. This study investigated the factors influencing smallholder bean producers’ decision to participate and intensity of participation in collective marketing in Kawambwa, Luwingu and Senga Hill districts of Zambia. A multi-stage sampling design was used to draw 150 smallholder farmers from cooperatives from the three districts. Cross sectional data were collected through semi structured questionnaire and in-depth focused group discussions were also conducted with the three cooperatives. Double hurdle results revealed that the decision to participate in collective marketing was influenced by age, gender, household size, farm size, output price, farm income, hybrid seed, access to market information, ownership of a bicycle, radio and mobile phone. On the other hand, the determinants of intensity of participation in collective marketing were education level of the household head, bean output and distance to the nearest market. To increase smallholder farmers’ participation in collective marketing, there is need to focus on policies that enhance access to market information, promotion and adoption of hybrid bean varieties, increased bean production and construction of bulking facilities in rural areas away from main markets. Smallholder farmers who have attained at least primary level education should be targeted as well as encourage youth and women participation.

Breaking ground: transformative partnerships for inclusive bean breeding in Zimbabwe

Common bean is often considered a woman’s crop because they play important roles from production to marketing. However, breeding programs often focus on farmers without adequate attention to the interconnectedness between gender and other socioeconomic variables and how they influence varietal and trait preferences of other value chain actors. This study analyzed gendered differences in bean production and trade, implications of socioeconomic conditions on bean production and marketing, and the role of partnerships in closing gender gaps in the bean value chain in Zimbabwe. The results obtained from the analysis of survey data collected from 131 farmers and 18 trades revealed beans as a dual-purpose crop for male and female farmers and traders. Varietal and trait preferences were the same for both male and female farmers and traders but were prioritized differently. While female farmers prioritized cooking time, men farmers prioritized biofortification and market traits. Whereas male traders equally preferred price, color, and appearance, female traders prioritized price over color and appearance. Poverty and marital statuses of respondents influenced the number of varieties preferred by male and female farmers. We found that the effectiveness of partnerships in closing gender gaps in marketing is variety specific. While having partners closed the gender gaps in the marketing of the NUA45 variety, such partnerships did not have the same effect on closing gender gaps in the marketing of Cherry, Gloria, and other varieties. The results show that considering socioeconomic characteristics of actors and partnerships can reduce gender disparities in the bean value chain. Therefore, breeding programs should recognize the interconnectedness between socioeconomic variables and gender when developing breeding products.

Multicriteria land suitability assessment for cassava and bean production using integration of GIS and AHP

Multicriteria land suitability assessment for cassava and bean production using integration of GIS and AHP

Forecasting Prices and Production of Pulses in Faisalabad Market, Pakistan

Forecasting values of prices and production are important for value chain actors because they can plan their activities while considering these values in mind for improving profitability. The present study is designed to determine forecasting values of production and prices of mung bean, lentil and chickpeas using arrival quantity of pulses in the big market of pulses in Punjab, i.e. Faisalabad. Similarly price data is used to forecast future prices of pulses. ARIMA model is employed to determine forecasting arrival quantities and prices of pulses using monthly data from January, 2018 to June, 2023. Results show that there is no smooth price increases in mung beans during different months of a year. A declining value of lentil and chickpeas is an alarming indications for all value chain actors. Estimated values based on ARIMA models for price and arrival quantities of pulses have important implications for the producers and wholesalers dealing in pulses particularly chickpeas, mung beans and lentil. A declining forecasting value of lentil and chickpeas leaves a serious thought on the sustainability of value chain of these pulses in the province. A declining supply in the market with an increase in the price of lentil in future will affect stakeholders of supply chain of lentil.

Factors affecting decisions of farmers to produce geographical indication dry beans: a case from Turkey

Geographical indications (GIs) are defined as labels that show the relationship of a product with a certain region. They are of great importance in terms of distinguishing these products from the similar ones in terms of the quality that the characteristic features of the region bring to the product, making them stand out commercially, contributing to the rural development and preserving the cultural heritage. Dry beans cultivated by the farmers in the Gümüşhane province is newly recognized as a GI product that is unique in both taste and quality. This study is intended to identify the factors affecting the farmers’ decision to produce GI-labelled dry beans. The survey was conducted in January–March 2021. A sampling size of the participants consisted of 50 farmers who cultivated GI-labelled dry beans and 50 non-GI dry beans. A binary logistic regression analysis approach was employed to identify the factors affecting the likelihood of the farmers cultivating the GI dry beans. The results of the model indicate that the young farmers with the low educational level, the low property land size, the low yield per decare, and the large farmland, the high annual agricultural income and specializing in the dry beans production are more likely to engage in the production of GI dry beans. For the farms involving the GI product, agricultural associations can be advised with the farmers with the wider agricultural acreage and the high annual agricultural income, and that specialize in the production of such products. The participation of the farmers in the agriculture enterprises involving the GI dry beans will depend on them seeing positive widespread effects, which requires a long-term commitment.

Screening of Common Bean Genotypes for Their Resistance to Bean Stem Maggot (Ophiomyia Spp.) in Ethiopia

Common bean production in Africa faces various constraints, including biotic and abiotic stress. Among biotic stresses, bean stem maggots (BSM) (Ophiomyia spp.) are the most damaging insect pests of common beans in central and sub-Saharan Africa, especially under poor soils and dry conditions. Various control measures are available for bean stem maggots; however, there is insufficient information regarding the resistance of common bean genotypes to this pest. The present study aimed to identify sources of resistance to BSM in two groups of genotypes, namely red mottled and sugar bean, at Negelle Arsi and Shalla in Ethiopia during 2016 and 2017. A total of 111 genotypes with 56 belonging to the red mottled group and 55 to the sugar bean group were assessed for their resistance levels in open fields with a history of BSM infestation following randomized complete block design with three replications. In the 2016 assessment, 23 genotypes exhibited significantly lower numbers of dead seedlings and damage scores in both bean groups and locations. The results for the second year (2017) indicated that four genotypes from the red mottled group (DAB-365, DAB-398, DAB-449, and DAB-331) and four from sugar beans (DAB-500, DAB-512, DAB-483, and DAB-54) were moderately resistant to BSM in both locations. The combined findings from the 2016 and 2017 cropping seasons revealed that DAB-500, DAB-512, DAB-483, and DAB-541 from the red mottled group, and DAB-365, DAB-398, DAB-449, and DAB-331 from the sugar bean group, exhibited resistance to BSM at both locations. Therefore, based on the aforementioned information, these eight genotypes from both groups are recommended as potential sources of resistance to bean stem maggots for further common bean breeding purposes.

From cocoa waste to sustainable bioink: valorising pectin for circular economy-driven tissue engineering

Cocoa bean production, a cornerstone of many developing economies, currently adheres to a linear economic model, giving rise to sustainability concerns. The expansion of cocoa butter and liquor consumption has resulted in the increased generation of residual biomass, constituting 60–70 % of fresh fruit. The absence of management plans for this biomass in cocoa-producing countries poses a risk of phytosanitary issues. This study proposed a circular economy approach by valorising cocoa pod husk-derived pectin for tissue engineering. The study optimised an alkaline-based protocol to extract pectin from cocoa pod husk, resulting in ∼ 20 % yield with a ∼ 47 % degree of esterification. Methacrylation transformed extracted pectin into pectin methacrylate (PECMA), confirmed by FTIR-ATR and NMR analyses. PECMA hydrogels, crosslinked with CaCO3 and UV, exhibited rapid gelation and superior water uptake properties. SEM revealed distinct morphological differences with UV exposure, showing improved interconnectivity and anisotropic porosity while the mechanical testing demonstrated enhanced compressive modulus and rheological properties with UV crosslinking. PECMA-based bioink encapsulated chondrocytes, maintaining cell viability over 6 days. This innovative bioink, derived from cocoa waste, holds promise for sustainable tissue engineering applications.

Trichoderma harzianum prevents red kidney bean root rot by increasing plant antioxidant enzyme activity and regulating the rhizosphere microbial community.

Root rot is one of the main reasons for yield losses of red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) production. Pre-inoculation with Trichoderma harzianum can effectively lower the incidence of red kidney bean root rot. In this study, four treatments including CK (control), Fu13 (Fusarium oxysporum), T891 (T. harzianum) and T891 + Fu13 (T. harzianum + F. oxysporum) were arranged in a pot experiment to investigate how T891 affected the incidence and severity of root rot, plant growth, and changes of defense enzyme activity in red kidney bean plants. Community composition and diversity of the rhizosphere microbiota was evaluated through high-throughput sequencing, and co-occurrence network was analyzed. The results showed that when compared to the Fu13 treatment, pre-inoculation with T891 reduced the incidence and severity of red kidney bean root rot by 40.62 and 68.03% (p < 0.05), increased the root length, shoot length, total dry biomass by 48.63, 97.72, 122.17%. Upregulated activity of super-oxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) by 7.32, 38.48, 98.31% (p < 0.05), and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) by 23.70% (p < 0.05), respectively. Microbiological analyses also showed that F. oxysporum reduced alpha diversity resulting in alteration the composition of the rhizosphere microbial community in red kidney bean. T891 significantly reduced abundance of F. oxysporum, allowing the enrichment of potentially beneficial bacteria Porphyrobacter (ASV 46), Lysobacter (ASV 85), Microbacteriaceae (ASV 105), and Gemmatimonas (ASV 107), resulting in a more stable structure of the microbial network. The results of random forest analysis further revealed that ASV 46 (Porphyrobacter) was the primary influencing factor for the incidence of root rot after inoculation with T891, while ASV 85 (Lysobacter) was the primary influencing factor for the biomass of red kidney bean. In conclusion, T. harzianum promotes the growth of red kidney bean and inhibits root rot by improving plant antioxidant enzyme activity and regulating the rhizosphere microbial community.

Enhancing the stability of mung bean-based milk: Insights from protein characteristics and raw material selection

Plant-based milk (PBM) alternatives are gaining popularity worldwide as the change of consumers' nutritional habits and health attitudes. Mung beans, recognized for their nutritional value, have gained attention as potential ingredients for PBM. Nevertheless, mung bean-based milk (MBM) faces instability issues common to other plant-based milks. This study investigated the factors influencing MBM stability focusing on raw materials. We selected 6 out of 20 varieties based on their MBM centrifugation sedimentation rates, representing both stable and unstable MBM. Stable MBM exhibited distinct advantages, including reduced separation rate, smaller particle size, lower viscosity, fewer protein aggregates, higher soluble protein content, and increased consumer acceptance. Major nutritional components such as protein, starch, and lipids were not significant different between stable and unstable MBM varieties. The pivotal distinction may lay in the protein properties and composition. Stable MBM varieties exhibited significantly improved protein solubility and emulsion stability, along with elevated concentrations of legume-like acidic subunits, basic 7S proteins, and 28 kDa and 26 kDa vicilin-like subunits. The increasement of these proteins likely contributed to the improvement in protein characteristics that affect MBM stability. These findings offer valuable insights for raw material selection and guidance for future mung bean breeding to enhance mung bean milk production.

A cost-effective, machine learning-driven approach for screening arterial functional aging in a large-scale Chinese population.

An easily accessible and cost-free machine learning model based on prior probabilities of vascular aging enables an application to pinpoint high-risk populations before physical checks and optimize healthcare investment. A dataset containing questionnaire responses and physical measurement parameters from 77,134 adults was extracted from the electronic records of the Health Management Center at the Third Xiangya Hospital. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and recursive feature elimination-Lightweight Gradient Elevator were employed to select features from a pool of potential covariates. The participants were randomly divided into training (70%) and test cohorts (30%). Four machine learning algorithms were applied to build the screening models for elevated arterial stiffness (EAS), and the performance of models was evaluated by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Fourteen easily accessible features were selected to construct the model, including "systolic blood pressure" (SBP), "age," "waist circumference," "history of hypertension," "sex," "exercise," "awareness of normal blood pressure," "eat fruit," "work intensity," "drink milk," "eat bean products," "smoking," "alcohol consumption," and "Irritableness." The extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) model outperformed the other three models, achieving AUC values of 0.8722 and 0.8710 in the training and test sets, respectively. The most important five features are SBP, age, waist, history of hypertension, and sex. The XGBoost model ideally assesses the prior probability of the current EAS in the general population. The integration of the model into primary care facilities has the potential to lower medical expenses and enhance the management of arterial aging.

Pengaruh Pupuk Kotoran Sapi dan Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria pada Produksi Tanaman Buncis

The productivity of common beans has fluctuated in the last 5 years. The decrease and increase in productivity occur due to decreased soil quality due to a lack of organic matter. Plant productivity with excessive use of inorganic fertilizers can reduce soil fertility. The solution to restoring microbial activity and soil fertility levels can be taken through a nature farming approach, namely by utilizing organic fertilizers derived from cow manure and additional plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) biological fertilizers. This research was conducted at a production site on Jalan Tidar, Jember, East Java, from January to March 2023. The design used was factorial RAK with 3 repetitions. The first factor was the dose of cow manure, which consists of 4 levels, namely 0, 10, 15, and 20 tons/ha. The second factor was the concentration of PGPR, which consists of 4 levels: 0, 10, 15, and 20 mL/L. The results do not show any interaction between cow manure and PGPR on all parameters. Cow manure has a noticeable effect on growth parameters and quantity. The best dose of cow manure and the highest protein content value was 20 tons/ha. The concentration of PGPR had only a noticeable effect on plant height and number of leaves. PGPR concentrations of 15 mL/L and 20 mL/L both give the best results and produce the highest antioxidant activity value at 15 mL/L. Keywords: Antioxidant activity, common bean, cow manure, pgpr, protein

Additive intercropping system or acaricides: which one is more efficient to prevent population buildup of two-spotted spider mite?

Habitat manipulation such as intercropping can be used as a simple and common cultural practice in pest management. This method is based on the principle of reducing pest populations by increasing the diversity of an ecosystem. This study has been carried out to evaluate the influence of additive series intercropping common bean with some aromatic plants (AP), and 2 acaricides on the different life stages (egg, immature mobile stages, and adult) of Tetranychus urticae Koch (Trombidiformes: Tetranychidae), over 2 yr of experimentation (2020 and 2021). This experiment was conducted following a randomized complete block design with 7 treatments including common bean monoculture, common bean sprayed by spiromesifen or Dayabon, and common bean + companion plants (coriander, ajwain, basil, or dill). Each treatment was replicated 3 replicates. The lowest and highest number of eggs, immature mobile stages, and adults were observed in common bean + spiromesifen and the common bean monoculture, respectively. Additionally, the common bean + Dayabon supported significantly different T. urticae life stage densities compared to common bean monoculture. Also, among intercropped treatments, common bean + basil showed the lowest number of T. urticae (eggs, immature mobile stages, and adults). The highest yield and land equivalent ratio were recorded in common bean + basil and common bean + spiromesifen, respectively. Finally, it can be concluded that additive intercropping with these AP can effectively decrease the T. urticae population density, which is useful for the safe production of common bean.

Temporal Rainfall Variations Induce Forecast Errors in Rainfed Agriculture in the Brazilian State of Ceará, Brazil

The research aims to: a) assess the instabilities associated with rainfall and the variables that define the production of rice, beans, cassava and corn in the state of Ceará between 1945 and 2020; b) estimate models that can be used to make projections of harvested areas, yields and prices for these crops between 1945 and 2020; c) assess the impact of rainfall on the estimated forecasting models; d) assess how rainfall affects the likelihood of farmers making forecasts of the variables that define agricultural production. Rainfall data was obtained from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NOAA). Crop yield data came from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). Instabilities were measured by the coefficients of variation. ARIMA models (autoregressive, integrated and moving average model) were used to make the forecasts. The hypothesis that the residuals generated by the models are influenced by annual rainfall was tested. The results showed high instabilities in annual rainfall, which spread to the variables that define crop yields. Parsimonious and robust adjustments were obtained from a statistical point of view and it was shown that the errors generated, including their magnitudes, in the models used to forecast all the variables that define bean and corn yields, harvested areas and rice yields, as well as cassava yields, are influenced by annual rainfall in Ceará between 1945 and 2020.

Homeopathic preparations to increase resistance and development of yield in bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) crops

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is an essential part people’s staple diet in Brazil as well as in some Latin American countries. The excessive use of agrochemical for pest and disease control negatively impacts human health, contaminates soil and water, harms biodiversity, and contributes to pest resistance. It is referred to a specific homeopathic preparation. In the context of homeopathy, the term "preparations" refers to homeopathic remedies that are created through a specific process of dilution and agitation. The use of highly diluted homeopathic preparations, which enhance the plants ability to resist diseases, represents a more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative. In homeopathy, "Silicea" is used as a homeopathic remedy derived from silica which is not a silica in its natural form. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Silicea terra and Phosphorus application in high dynamized dilutions, on morphometric and productive variables of common bean plants. Two experiments were carried out in a greenhouse and one experiment in the field, in a randomized block design for both situations. In greenhouse, the preparations were used in dynamizations 7, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60CH (CH= Hahnemannian centesimal dilution order) and distilled water was used as control. In the field, the treatments were Phosphorus 48 and 60CH, Silicea terra 36 and 60CH, and distilled water as a control. In greenhouse, application of Silicea terra 36CH increased (p&lt; 0.05) shoot dry biomass weight (9.78 g) and leaf dry biomass weight (5.36 g), compared to control. In the field, Silicea terra 36CH and Phosphorus 60CH increased bean productivity in relation to the control. The results indicate that homeopathic preparations had a high potential for improving development and consequently increasing yield when applied to common bean plants.

Productivity and basic indicators of common bean (haricot) modern varieties suitability for mechanized harvesting

Goal. Investigation of plants height, a lower bean attachment height, 1000 seeds weight, ripening period duration, and productivity of common bean (haricot) modern varieties, depending on cultivating technological methods.&#x0D; Methods. Field method — to determine the plants height and grain crop capacity; laboratory one — to determine the basic elements of common bean plant crop structure; statistical — for mathematical data processing by variance analysis method.&#x0D; Results. All the six common (haricot) bean varieties investigated in the research, were bushy. However, the varieties Nata and Bukovynka showed the «chick-pea» (twisted) top appearance in years with excessive humidity. The variety Slavia was characterized by the lowest height of the lower bean attachment — 8.1—8.8 cm. Other researched varieties were more technologic. Particularly, the variety Galaktyka had the lower bean attachment height 10.1—10.6 cm, Bukovynka — 10.5—11.5, Nata — 10.5—11.8, Ros’ — 11.4—12.4 cm. The lower bean elevated location of the variety Otrada (12.9—13.5 cm) allows to minimize the losses during direct combine harvesting. All the varieties investigated by us had a medium-sized seed (from 201 tо 400 g). The smallest seed was in the variety Bukovynka — 204—212.6 g. The largest 1000 seeds weight was in the variety Galaktyka — 323.5—337.9 g. All the common bean vaieties researched in the experiment, except Galaktyka, exceeded the variety Bukovynka by grain yield. Thus, on the variant without seed inoculation and using potassium humate, the variety Galaktyka grain yield made 1.33 t/hа, which was by 34.5% less, compared to the variety Bukovynka. A complex use of inoculants and potassium humate provided a significant grain yield increase of the researched common bean varieties. The maximum yield increase in the research (0.27 t/hа or 11.0%) was obtained during pre-sowing seed inoculation and two foliar feedings with potassium humate of common bean stands of the variety Otrada.&#x0D; Conclusions. All the varieties researched in the experiment are bushy, and bushy with a «chick-pea» (twisted) top and suitable for direct combine harvesting. The maximum grain yield level was provided by the following varieties: Otrada — 2.72 t/ hа; Nata — 2.65 t/hа, and Ros’ — 2.54 t/hа, during seed inoculation with biologics Rhizoactive + Rootella, complete mineral fertilizer introduction in dosage N32Р32К32, and two foliar feedings with potassium humate.