Phosphorus Fertilization Affects Morphological, Physiological and Agronomic Characteristics of Faba Bean Cultivars

Paschalis Papakaloudis and Christos Dordas ()
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Paschalis Papakaloudis: Laboratory of Agronomy, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Christos Dordas: Laboratory of Agronomy, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 17, 1-24

Abstract: Faba bean ( Vicia faba L.) is an important legume crop grown worldwide, especially under rainfed conditions. Faba beans require phosphorus (P) fertilization to maintain high N 2 fixation rates and to obtain high yields. However, farmers in many countries use low quantities of P because of its cost and the risk of drought, which reduces the crop’s response to P fertilization. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of P fertilization on two faba bean cultivars, examining several key traits to identify the most efficient genotype. Seed yield was influenced by the main effect of variety, the two-way interaction between year and variety, and the three-way interaction among year, treatment, and variety. In the KK-14 cultivar, seed yield increased by 99% during the first year. Similar trends were observed for the yield components. Additionally, the morphological and physiological characteristics were affected by the fertilization treatments and the interaction between cultivars and year. Therefore, the use of appropriate cultivars, along with proper management in cropping systems, can significantly impact growth, biomass yield, and productivity under different conditions, leading to higher yields and greater economic returns for farmers.

Keywords: leaf area index; photosynthesis; seed yield; SPAD; yield components (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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