Abstract:
The experiment was conducted during the 2017-2018 season at the Demonstration Farm, Sudan University of Science and Technology .The objective of this study was to determine the effect of water stress on growth and yield of different varieties of faba beab ( Vicia faba L).The experimental design used was randomized complete block in split plot replicated three times .The main plot consisted of five water intervals during flowering and podding stages (7,15,21days) and the subplots consisted of four varieties (Basabeer, Selaum, ALdamer and ,Huduba).
The vegetative and reproductive growth parameters studied were plant height, fresh weight of plant, dry weight of plant, fresh weight of root, dry weight of root, number of flower50%, number of flower100%, and number of nodes. Yield and yield components were number of pods, number of seeds, hundred seeds weight, weight of seeds, and hard seeds. Water use efficiency parameters were; drought tolerance index (DTI), stress susceptibility (SSI) and stress tolerance index (STI).
The results revealed that water stress significantly affected all vegetative growth parameters except dry weight of plant, fresh weight and plant height at the first reading. On the other hand, faba bean varieties were not significantly affected except plant height at reading four. Water stress significantly affected all yield and yield components except seed weight.There were no significant differences among faba bean varieties.
Water use efficiency is presented in from of tolerance index, (DTI) stress stability index (SSI) and stress tolerance index (STI). The results showed that water stress and faba bean varieties had no significant difference concerning drought tolerances index and stress tolerance index, while stress susceptibility index was affected significantly.
It can be concluded that water stress during flowering and podding stages had significant differences for all growth, yield, yield components, and water use efficiency for the cultivars of faba bean. No clear variation was observed among all parameters studied for water stress, which means that flowering and podding stages are critical stages under semi-arid conditions of Sudan.
