SOME FOLIAR APPLICATIONS FOR IMPROVING SNAP BEAN (Phaseolus vulgaris, L.) QUALITY AND YIELD AT FALL SEASON.

Abstract

Understanding the impact of ambient environmental condition is a concern for agricultural production. This work was undertaken to study the responses of two snap bean cultivars (Giza3 and Bronco) to some stimulant substances, i.e., Cu-EDTA 8% Cu 1 ml/l; Mg-EDTA/Cit 10% Mg, 5ml/l and Fe-EDTA/Cit 10% Fe, 2ml/l in chelated forms, Ca-citrate 25% Ca, 2.5ml/l and KP/AA, 45/33.2 K2O, P2O5, 8.2% amino acids, 2.5ml/l; yeast extract, 25ml/l; seaweeds extracts, 5 ml/l and amino acids, 5ml/l as a foliar applications, throw two experiments conducted at El-Baramoon Res. Station, El-Dakahllia Governorate, Hort. Res. Inst. during the fall seasons of 2006 and 2007. Previous information showed that Bronco cv. display a physiological disorder at fall season (pale color of pods) which in turn negatively affects the economical value for the exportation of product, thereby, this work was suggested to improve yield and qualities, as well as growth and pigments of leaves and pods of snap bean plants, growing under abiotic stress conditions of fall season. Results indicated that Bronco cv. surpassed Giza3 in most vegetative growth parameters. Also, chlorophyll a and b of leaves, as well as pod chlorophyll a, b and TSS showed the same trends as vegetative growth aspects, though; Giza3 had the greatest concentrations of leaf and pod carotenoids in the two seasons. In addition, the highest number of pods/plant and consequently fresh pod yield were collected by Bronco plants. in the two seasons. On the other hand, the tallest, thickness and heaviest pod were gathered from Giza3 plants. The enhanced yield was associated with pod performance and number of pods/plant, regarding genotype responses under such condition. The applied treatments differed among them and were superior the control in all characteristics. The best applications with the two bean cvs. in most cases were Cu +