To develop a high density linkage map in faba bean, a total of 1,363 FBES (Faba bean expressed sequence tag [EST]-derived simple sequence repeat [SSR]) markers were designed based on 5,090 non-redundant ESTs developed in this study. A total of 109 plants of a ‘Nubaria 2’ × ‘Misr 3’ F2 mapping population were used for map construction. Because the parents were not pure homozygous lines, the 109 F2 plants were divided into three subpopulations according to the original F1 plants. Linkage groups (LGs) generated in each subpopulation were integrated by commonly mapped markers. The integrated ‘Nubaria 2’ × ‘Misr 3’ map consisted of six LGs, representing a total length of 684.7 cM, with 552 loci. Of the mapped loci, 47% were generated from multi-loci diagnostic (MLD) markers. Alignment of homologous sequence pairs along each linkage group revealed obvious syntenic relationships between LGs in faba bean and the genomes of two model legumes, Lotus japonicus and Medicago truncatula. In a polymorphic analysis with ten Egyptian faba bean varieties, 78.9% (384/487) of the FBES markers showed polymorphisms. Along with the EST-SSR markers, the dense map developed in this study is expected to accelerate marker assisted breeding in faba bean.

A field experiment was carried out at Giza experimental Station, Agricultural Research Center (ARC), during 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 seasons. The main objective was to study the effect of either iron (Fe) or manganese (Mn) application methods, viz. seed coating at rates of 0.2 g Fe or 0.3 g Mn / 1 kg seed, foliar application at 200 ppm Fe or 300 ppm Mn 45 days after sowing (DAS) and the combination of both methods on growth, yield and seed quality of Giza 40 and Nubaria 1 faba bean cultivars. The split plot design with three replications was used. Results showed that Giza 40 produced significantly taller plants at 64, 85, 106 and 127 DAS. It was also superior in plant shoot dry weight at 64 and 85 DAS. The same trend was true at harvest regarding pod number / plant in both seasons. However, Nubaria 1 surpassed Giza 40 in plant shoot dry weight at 106 and 127 DAS. In addition, Nubaria 1 was superior to Giza 40 in leaf area (LA) / plant at all growth ages, 100-seed weight, seed weight / plant, seed and straw yields / feddan as well as seed crude protein, Fe and Mn contents. All treatments induced significant increases over the control in all investigated yield traits in both seasons. Foliar application of Fe was the most effective treatment in this respect followed by foliar application of Mn. The average increases due to foliar application of Fe were 20.4, 42.8, 14.2 and 23.2 % for number of pods / plant, seed weight / plant, 100-seed weight and seed yield / feddan, respectively compared with control. Results also indicated that foliar application of either Fe or Mn could have improved yield and seed quality traits. The improvement in seed protein, total carbohydrate, Fe and Mn contents due to foliar application over coating or coating + spraying methods were 4.8 and 3.9 % for crude protein, 6.1 and 5.5 % for total carbohydrates, 11.1 and 7.5 % for Fe and 10.4 and 7.2 % for Mn, respectively.

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The present investigation was carried out under insect free cage during 2011/12, 2012/13 growing seasons at Giza Research Station, Egypt. A diallel-cross including reciprocals among six parents of faba bean (Giza 843, Nubaria 1, Cairo 25, Cairo 5, Cairo 33 and Misr 3) was utilized to study the heterotic effects, as well as general and specific combining ability. Results showed significant differences between parents and F 1 's for all studied traits and these differences may be mainly due to the genetic diversity of the parents. Based on the two estimates of heterotic effects (over mid and better parent), 5, 12, 7, 10, 13, 8 and 8 crosses exhibited significantly positive heterotic effects for plant height, number of branches/plant, number of pods/plant, number of seeds/plant, seed yield/plant and 100-seed weight, respectively. The ratio of both estimates GCA/SCA exceeded the unity for all traits indicating the relative importance of the two types of gene action suggesting the predominance of additive types of gene action controlling these traits and therefore selection would be effective for improving these traits. Giza 843 (P 1) was the best general combiner for all studied traits. Giza 843 (P 1), Nubaria 1 (P 2) and Cairo 25 (P 3) exhibited useful general combining ability effects. Significant positive SCA effects for all studied traits occurred in different combinations Original Research Article