EFFECT OF FOLIAR APPLICATION WITH ZINC ON YIELD AND ITS COMPONENTS OF FABA BEAN

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the research farm of Dept of Field Crop Sciences-University of Baghdad during two successive winter season 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 to study the effect of foliar application with zinc on yield and its components of six cultivars of faba bean (Vicia faba L.). The layout of the experiment was asplit-plot design with three replicates. The six cultivars (S.A, S.B, S.C, ILB1814, ILB1266 and local cultivar) occupied the main plots, while zinc concentrations (0, 20, 40, 60) mg.l-1 occupied the sub-plots. Results showed that the concentration 60 mg.l-1 was superior in the percentage of fertility 5.30, 5.49 % in both seasons, respectively, also concentration 40 mg.l-1 was superior in the number of pods per plant, 33.50 and 34.96 in both seasons, respectively, The concentration 40 mg.l-1 was superior in number of seeds per pod (3.394, 3.439) in both seasons, respectively. Also the same concentration gave the highest seed weight (929, 956.6) mg in both seasons, respectively. The highest seed yields, 2315and 2515 kg.ha-1 were obtained from foliar applications by zinc concentration 20 mg.l-1 in both seasons, respectively. The results showed that local cultivar was the best in yield and its components.Therefore, it was recommended to grow the local cultivar with the application of zinc concentration 20 mg.l-1 .