BROAD BEAN

BROAD BEAN

AIM: The broad bean is a hardy plant and can withstand sufficiently cold temperatures. This is the only bean which is sown in autumn and is grown as a winter crop. The present chapter will make the students familiar with its importance, production technology, seed production practices and plant protection measures.
BOTANICAL NAME : Vicia faba L.
CHROMOSOME NUMBER : 2n=12, 14
FAMILY : Leguminosae
CENTRE OF ORIGIN : North Africa and South Caspian Sea.
  • The Broad bean (Vicia faba L.) also known as faba bean or horse bean is a minor leguminous crop grown in localized areas in India but is an important food crop of South America.
  • It is the only bean grown as a winter crop.
  • Broad bean is used as green, shelled and dry beans and as a feed for livestock. Plants have distinguishing features like square and erect growing stems which grows up to 30cm (dwarf varieties) to 100 cm (tall varieties).
  • It is pollinated by insects. Clusters of white black branched flowers arise in the axils of the leaves.
  • The pods are borne upright in clusters of 3-5 or more fleshy beans.
  • Broad bean is being grown on small scale in Utter Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Kashmir, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar.
  • The pollen grains and green pods cause allergy to some people which is known as fauvism (Haemolytic anaemia)
7.4

NUTRITIVE VALUE (per 100 g of edible portion)

Energy (kcal) 48 Thiamin (mg) 0.08
Moisture (%) 85.4 Niacin (mg) 0.8
Protein (g) 4.5 Ascorbic acid (mg) 12
Fat (g) 0.1 Calcium (mg) 50
Carbohydrate (g) 7.2 Phosphorus (mg) 64
Vitamin-A (IU) 15
 Iron (mg) 1.4

CLIMATIC REQUIREMENTS
  • Broad bean is a hardy plant.
  • It is grown mainly at higher altitudes where the climate is relatively cool.
  • It is the only bean, which can withstand cold (up to 4oC), therefore, it is grown as winter crop.
SOIL CONDITIONS
  • It prefers rich, well drained loamy soil with pH range of 5.5 to 6.0.
  • Acidic soils are not good for broad bean.
  • It can tolerate salinity up to some extent.
  • Land should be prepared thoroughly by giving repeated ploughings to get fine tilth.
VARIETIES
Pusa Sumeet:
  • Plants are 75 cm tall having on an average 5-7 branches/plant.
  • A plant bears about 100pods.
  • The pod length and thickness is 6.0cm and 1.3cm, respectively.
  • It has attractive dark green pods and borne in cluster.
  • The average yield potential is 180q/ha.
  • Besides the above varieties “Selection BR-1” and “Selection BR-2” are black and yellow seeded varieties, respectively developed from Bihar.
  • Jawahar Viva 73-81 is a dormant type, reported from Madhya Pradesh.
  • Moreover some exotic varieties introduced from abroad are given below.
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Some Exotic Varieties introduced from Abroad
Long pod type:
  • Aquadule Claudin, Imperial White Long Pod, Masterpiece Green Long Pod, Imperial Green Long Pod, Red Epicure.
Windsor Type:
  • Imperial White Windsor, Giant four seeded Green Windsor, Imperial Green Windsor
SEED RATE AND SOWING
  • Sowing is done in the month of September-October and February-March.
  • About 70-100 kg/ha seed is required for cultivation.
  • The seeds are sown in shallow furrows of 15cm width with a spacing of 75cm.
  • In each furrow, two rows of seeds are sown at a spacing of 25cm in a zigzag manner along the furrows.
  • It can be sown in a single row system with spacing of 45x15cm.
NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT
  • The field is given deep digging and farmyard manure is applied at the rate of 10 tonnes/ha along with NPK at the rate of 20:50:40kg/ha, respectively.
  • Entire quantity of phosphorus, potash and half quantity of nitrogen is to be thoroughly mixed in the soil at the time of field preparation.
  • The remaining nitrogen is to be top dressed at flowering time along with irrigation.
Use of PGR
  • In beans, the success of pollination, fertilization and fruit set depends on the prevailing weather conditions.
  • Certain plant growth regulators like PCPA @ 2ppm, alpha-naphthyl acetomide @ 2-25ppm or beta-naphthoxy acetic acid @ 5-25ppm, when sprayed at prevailing temperature or when normally pods do not set, induce fruit set.
  • Thus by spraying some plant growth regulators, early, higher and total yield can be obtained.
IRRIGATION AND CULTURAL PRACTICES
  • Immediately after sowing, the field has to be irrigated.
  • This is followed by light irrigation on the third day.
  • Thereafter, light irrigation should be given at regular interval of 12-15days.
  • Regular intercultural operations should be carried out by hand weeding and hoeing to keep the weeds under check and to provide a good environment for crop growth.
  • Tall varieties may be given support with wooden sticks or twigs against wind.
  • Place stakes or canes at one meter interval on both sides of the double rows close to the beans.
  • Then tie around the stakes with twine 30-60cm above the ground.
HARVESTING, YIELD AND STORAGE
  • The pods are ready for harvesting in 3-4months for spring sowing and 6-7months for autumn sowing.
  • Very young pods are preferred by most people.
  • The beans are harvested at the green shell stage as needed for home use or for market and those remaining on the plant are used as dry shell beans.
  • A pod yield of 7-10tonnes/ha and green bean yield of 1.8-2.0q /ha is expected.
Last modified: Thursday, 21 June 2012, 10:25 AM