Instability of yield in faba bean is partly caused by drought susceptibility. Four sets with 10‐19 faba bean genotypes each were evaluated in multilocal field trials between 1992 and 1996. Stress occurred as natural drought in one experiment and as artificial terminal drought in three experiments. Artificial drought was induced by rain shelters; the control treatment was irrigated. Tolerance was assessed as the ratio of yield under drought (Yd) to well‐watered yield (Yw). Highly significant variances between genotypes occurred; heritability of tolerance was 0.51 < h2 <0.88. Exotic (North African. Latin American) genotypes were more tolerant than adapted material. Correlations between Yw and Yd were 0.77** < r <0.97**, and variance of Yd was less than one‐third of the variance of Yw. Drought tolerance was negatively correlated with Yd (‐0.41 < r < ‐0.22). Relative reduction of plant height due to drought was a promising trait to improve drought tolerance indirectly in two sets. The prospects of improving Yd are good: heritability was 0.68 < h2 < 0.86. Genetic improvement of drought tolerance also seems feasible. A specific cross was proposed to create improved material.

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