EFFECT OF FIVE SOIL WATER REGIMES ON GROWTH AND COMPOSITION OF SNAP BEANS

Abstract

Bean plants were grown in weighing lysimeters to determine their response to five soil water regimes. Plants growing under conditions in which irrigation was applied when soil water fell to 88% of available were taller and heavier and produced more pods than plants irrigated when soil water fell to 60%. Plants irrigated when soil water reached 32% of available were small and had a low yield. Plants provided with ample water before blossom and then subjected to high soil water stress (SWS) had low yields. Plants grown under high SWS conditions before blossom recovered if ample water was provided after blossom, but did not yield as well as plants provided with ample water throughout the growing period.Dry matter content of bean pods was highest in the treatments receiving high SWS during the post-blossom period. SWS also affected crude protein, crude fat, physical and crude fiber, and nitrogen-free extract, but the relationship to treatments depended on whether the composition of the beans was expressed on a fresh or dry weight basis.