Two field experiments were carried out in the Research and Experiment Center, Faculty of Agriculture at Moshtohor, Zagazig University during 1997/1998 and 1998/1999 seasons. This investigation aimed to study the effect of irrigation treatments (single, two and three irrigations) and potassium fertilizer rates (0, 16, 32 and 48 kg K20/fed) on yield and its components of faba bean.
The results showed that, increasing number of irrigation from single to three irrigations caused significant increases in number of pods/plant, number of seeds/plant, weight of pods/plant, weight of seeds/plant, shelling percentage and weight of 100 seeds. Also, such increase in number of irrigations induced significant increase in seed yield (kg/fed) and testa/seed percentage. Whereas, cotyle/seed percentage was decreased by increasing the number of irrigations in both seasons (from 1 to 3). These results were true in each of the two growing seasons.
Regarding soil potassium application, using a rate of 48 kg/fed recorded the highest significant values of number of pods/plant, number of seeds/plant shelling percentage, weight of 100 seeds and seed yield (kg/fed) and cotyle /seed percentage. Whereas, testa/seed percentage reduced with increasing potassium fertilizer rates in both seasons. It could be concluded that for maximizing seed yield of faba bean and its quality by irrigation three times at 30, 60 and 90 days from planting and addition potassium fertilizer at 48 kg K2O/fed under the experimental conditions of Kalubia district.
The interaction between number of irrigations and potassium fertilizer significantly affected number of seed/plant, weight of seeds/plant and seed yield (kg/fed) in the first season and weight of pods/plant in the second season. Irrigation three times and increasing potassium fertilizer levels up to 48 kg K2O/fed significantly maximized number of seed/plant, weight of seeds/plant and seed yield (kg/fed). However, irrigation two or three times and addition 48 kg K2O/fed produced maximum weight of pods/plant without significant differences.
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