Effects of Spacing, Humic Acid and Boron on Growth, Seed Production and Quality of Broad Bean (Vicia faba var major L)

Abstract

Two field experiments were carried out in a private farm located at Bangar El Sokar region -Borg Al-Arab -Alexandria, Egypt, during winter growing season of 2014/2015 to study the effects of three spacing (10, 20 and 30 cm), three Humic acid (HA) rates (control, 1000 and 2000 mg l -1 ) and three boric acid rates (control, 2.5 and 5 mg l -1 ) on the vegetative growth, seed yield and its quality of broad bean plants.The results indicated that increasing spacing between broad bean plants lead to an increase in the numbers of branchesplant -1 and poor seeds percentage. While, plant height, seed yield fed -1 (ton) and good seeds percentage characters were decreased by increasing spacing.Treated broad bean plants with humic acid increased plant height and the numbers of branches. However, using humic acid at rate 2000 mg l -1 gave the highest mean value of fresh mass plant -1 . While, increasing humic acid rate was lead to decrease the nods setting percentage. In addition to, application of 1000 mg l -1 of humic acid gave the highest mean value of the seed yield fed -1 and good seed percentage, as well as the lowest percentage of poor seeds.The results showed that the highest mean values of plant height (cm) were obtained from treated plants with 2.5 mg l -1 boric acid. Also, increasing boric acid rates up to 5 mg l -1 decreased the fresh mass of plant -1 . Whereas, the highest mean value of the earliness and nods setting percentage achieved by application 5 mg l -1 of boric acid. Increasing the boric acid rates up to 5 mg l -1 was associated with increments in the average seed yield fed -1 and the good seed percentage. In general, the highest dry seed yield fed -1 , under conditions of Bangar El Sokar region -Borg Al-Arab -Alexandria, were achieved when sowing broad bean plants at 10 cm with the application of humic acid at rate 1000 mg l -1 and foliar application of boric acid at rate 5 mg l -1 .