Faba bean and field pea agronomy research

Faba bean and field pea are important low-input 'break' crops in the highlands of Ethiopia. Although coordinated research efforts started in 1972, few agronomic studies were done prior to the mid-1980s. Experimental evidence indicated that faba bean and field pea are good preceding crops for cereals and when grown in association resulted in increased land productivity per unit area; a Land Equivalent Ratio greater than 1 was obtained for all mixed proportions of faba bean and field pea. At Holetta investigations on tillage requirements of faba bean showed that plowing several times with either tractor or oxen significantly increased faba bean yields compared with one plowing. For field pea, highly significant yield differences among plowing treatments with oxen occurred in a 1-year trial. A delay in sowing from the recommended sowing dates decreased faba bean and field pea yields. Optimum sowing date differed with location, cultivar and availability of soil moisture. Sowing dates from mid-June to early July have been recommended for most faba bean and field pea growing areas. Seed yields are increased by increasing plant population. For faba bean, depending upon the seed size, a seeding rate of 180-250 kg/ha has been recommended. Inter-row spacing of 40 cm and interplant spacing of 5 cm gave the optimum plant population of 500 000 plant/ha. For field pea, inter-row spacing of 20 cm for small-seeded and 40 cm for relatively large-seeded, and interplant spacing of 5 cm have been recommended. For broadcast seeds, a seeding rate of 100-150 kg/ha was recommended. Experimental evidence showed that row sowing and hand-weeding increase seed yields compared with broadcast sowing and no weeding. Faba bean productivity is constrained by excessive soil moisture and poor drainage on heavy clay soil receiving high rainfall (greater than 600 mm) in the growing season. Faba bean productivity in Vertisols markedly increased with improved surface drainage. Faba bean on-farm trials using recommended sowing date, improved cultivar, weed control and fertilizer application showed tremendous yield increases over the farmers' practices in the central and southeastern highlands of Ethiopia. In the northwest region a similar response was obtained with improved cultivars