The Effect of Row Spacing and Phosphorus Level on Growth and Yield of Broadbeans (Vicia faba L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out at the Faculty of Agriculture Farm of Alfateh University, Tripoli, L.A.R., in the 1974/1975 season. The effect of two spacings (30 and 60 cm between rows)and four phosphorus levels (0,36,72, and 108 kg P2O5/ha) wasstudied on growth, yield, and yield components of broadbeans (Vicia faba L.)
Row spacing showed no significant effect on plant height which was significantly increased by the increase in phosphorus level. The number of tillers per plant was significantly increased by both the wide row spacing (60 cm) and the highest level of phosphorus (108 kg/ha).
On plant basis, pod weight, seed weight, and number of seeds were not significantly affected by row spacing. However, they were significantly increased by increasing phosphorus level. Moreover, the number and weight of seeds per pod were not significantly affected by both the row spacing and the phosphorus level. The 1,000-seed weight was significantly increased by decreasing row spacing, but was not significantly affected by phosphorus level.
Narrow row spacing (30 cm) and high levels of phosphorus (72 and 108 kg/ha) had significantly increased pod weight per hectare. On the other hand, the seed yield per hectare was significantly increased by narrow row spacing (30 cm) as well as by higher phosphorus level as compared with 60 cm spacing.
It is suggested that further studies are needed to determine the effect of wider range of phosphorus level with different row spacing on broadbeans, since the yield and most of its components showed continuous increase with the increase of phosphorus level.