Growth, yield and seed quality of two snapbean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) varieties as affected by irrigation frequency and fertilizer materials

The performance of two pole snapbean varieties, Alno and Burik, under varying frequencies of irrigation and combination of different fertilizer materials was determined. Among the irrigation treatments, weekly irrigation affected higher plant height, higher leaf area index, longer pods, higher moisture content of green pods during second harvest, higher number of bigger seeds, heavier weight of 1000 seeds, higher number of dry pods/plot, higher seed yield, better quality of green pods, higher rate of germination from the harvested seeds and more vigorous seedlings from harvested seeds. With weekly irrigation or irrigation at pre-emergence, seedling, flowering, and pod development stages are significantly higher in number of plant stand at harvest, higher percent of normal seedlings, higher number of green pods/plant and higher weight of green pod/plant were observed. The fertilizer treatment did not significantly affect the green pod yield. However, application of inorganic fertilizer (50-120-50 kg N-P2O5-K2O/ha) plus chicken manure at 1 ton/ha and supplemental Nutrophos Super K at 3 or 5 kg/ha significantly increased plant height and leaf area index, improved visual quality of pods, increased the percentage of normal seedlings and increased the dry seed yield per plot. Burik had significantly better plant stand, larger seed size, heavier weight of 1000 seeds and higher germination percentage of test seeds after harvest. The best treatment combination for enhancing the highest green pod yield and net benefit cost ratio is with "Alno" irrigated at pre-emergence, seedling, flowering and pod development stages and with the application of inorganic fertilizer plus chicken manure at 1 ton/ha and 5 kg/ha Nutrophos Super K. Higher seed yield and higher profit in seed production were effected by weekly irrigation and application of inorganic fertilizer, chicken manure at 1 ton/ha and Nutrophos Super K at 5 kg/ha for Alno and 3 kg/ha for Burik.