Objective:                   

To evaluate Faba for yield and agronomic performance in Northwestern Montana.

Results:

Significant differences were observed for faba bean yield. Mean yield was 64.0 bu/A and ranged from 51.5 bu/A to 76.2 bu/A. Flowering averaged 182 (July 1), flower as a function of days after emergence averaged 37 days. Height at pod fill averaged 44.0 inches and ranged from 33.2 inches to 47.5 inches. Test weight averaged 65.4 lb/bu and ranged from 646 to 66.3 lb/bu. Thousand kernel weights averaged 435 grams with a range from 194 (a petite type) to 496 grams. Percent protein mean value was 29.6 percent and ranged from 27.4 to 30.6 percent. No statistic differences were observed for plants density, height at flower or physiological maturity.

Summary:

The nursery was planted under rainfed condition with adequate subsurface moisture on silt loam soil. Weeds were well controlled with the pre-plant incorporated herbicide. This was our first year planting faba, which can be large seeded and irregular, thus slow planting and occasional checking of planter opener was required. Harvest was done while stems were still green as pods were crisp and prone to shatter. The combine fan speed was set to maximum. Tabular data of this nursery will not be present.

 

Table 1. Materials and Methods.   
Seeding Date: 5/11/2017 Harvest Date: 8/19/2017
Julian Date: 131 Julian Date: 231
Seeding rate: 4 plants/sqft Soil Test: 120-13-160
Previous Crop: Spring Wheat Fertilizer: 6-30-30
Tillage: Conventional Seed treatment: Insecticide (Cruiser 5FS) and Fungicide (Appron Maxx RTA)
Irrigation: None Herbicide: Triflurex (pre-plant incorporated)
Soil Type: Creston silt loam Insecticide: Warrior II (June 7)

 

Table 2. Faba bean aronomic data.           
 Cultivar PLNT FLWR FLWR HT FLWR HT PF HT PM YLD YLD TWT TKW PRO
sqft Julian DAE in in in lb/A bu/A lb/bu g %
GNF-17061 4.0 181 37 32.2 47.3 47.4 4571.3 76.2 65.4 487.1 29.83
GNF-17041 5.0 181 37 32.2 47.4 47.3 4257.8 71.0 65.9 490.3 29.33
GNF-17031 6.3 179 35 26.9 45.0 42.3 4169.1 69.5 65.2 491.9 29.60
GNF-17021 3.3 182 38 33.3 45.3 50.1 4027.6 67.1 65.7 490.7 29.87
Boxer 6.3 182 38 30.2 44.1 42.6 4011.0 66.8 64.7 463.9 30.63
GNF-17051 4.7 181 37 30.2 44.6 47.3 3911.9 65.2 64.8 479.4 30.47
Funfare 3.0 182 38 30.1 42.9 46.5 3759.9 62.7 64.6 495.5 30.53
GNP32417 (Petite) 6.7 185 41 28.0 33.2 34.9 3392.3 56.5 66.3 193.5 na
Tabasco 5.7 182 38 29.8 42.9 41.5 3225.8 53.8 65.9 340.8 27.43
GNF-17011 5.0 180 36 29.0 47.5 48.6 3086.4 51.5 65.6 422.2 28.47
Mean 5.0 181.5 37.3 30.2 44.0 44.8 3841.3 64.0 65.4 435.5 29.57
CV 30.8 0.6 3.1 8.5 5.4 11.6 7.5 7.4 0.9 2.8 1.7
LSD ns 1.9 2.0 ns 4.1 ns 491.1 8.2 1.0 21.2 0.8
Pr>F 0.0909 0.0005 0.0008 0.1406 0.0001 0.0666 0.0001 0.0001 0.0287 0.0001 0.0001
FLWR: 50% flower, DAE: days after emergence, HT FLWR: height at flowering, HT PF: height at pod fill, HT PM: height at physiological maturity, YLD: yield, TWT: test weight, TKW: thousand kernel weight, PRO: protein, ns: nonsignificant.