EFFECT OF PLANT POPULATION AND SOWING DATES ON GROWTH AND YIELDOF DRY BEAN (Phaseolus vulgaris,L) 1- PLANT GROWTH AND YIELD

Abstract

Two field experiments were carried out during summer seasons of 2010 and 2011 at the Experimental Farm at El-Kassaien, Hort. Res. Station Ismalia Governorate, Egypt, to study the effect of sowing dates and plant density on vegetative growth, dry seed yield and its components as well as chemical constituents of dry seed for snap bean plants cv. Nebrasica grown in the newly reclaimed sandy soil. This experiment included 12 treatments, which were the combinations between three sowing dates (February 1 st , March 1 st and April 1 st) and four plant density (56 plants/m 2 , 40 plants/m 2 , 28 plants/m 2 and 20 plants/m 2). . Planting of snap been on March 1 st gave the maximum values of Vegetative characters, dry weight of different plant organs at different stages of samples, seed yield /m 2 and total seed yield /fed. in the two seasons. Plant density at 20 plants / m 2 had significant effect on vegetative characters, total dry weight / plant at 45 and 60 days after planting in both seasons as well as 100 seeds weight , seed yield/ plant. On other hand, yield of seeds per m 2 and per fed. were significantly increased by planting at 56 plants/m 2 in both seasons. The interaction between sowing date on March 1 st and plant density at 20 plants/m 2 significantly increased total dry weight/ plant at 45 and 60 days and exhibited the highest values of 100 seeds weight and seed yield/ plant. On the other hand, the highest values of total dry seed yield per square meter and per feddan were recorded with the interaction between planting on 1 st March and planting at 56 plants/ m 2 .