Yields and components of yield of dry beans (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.) in the United Kingdom

Abstract

Exotic accessions of Phaseolus vulgaris selected for seedling cold tolerance by Austin & Maclean (1972) in a test in controlled environments were grown in a field experiment at Wellesbourne in 1974. Yields of up to 4-7 t/ha at a plant density of 34 plants/m a were obtained. In 1975, six selected accessions were grown at 21 plants/m 2 at six different sites. Mean site yields ranged from 1-0 to 3-1 t/ha. The six accessions all had better emergence and higher yields than two commercial cultivars used as controls.The genotype x site interactions for yield (and for yield components) were small. The variation in yield between accessions (from 2-0 to 2-5 t/ha) was smaller than the variation in yield between sites. Variation in yield components tended to be additive between sites, and compensatory between accessions. There was a negative correlation between crude protein content and yield across accessions; the correlation between protein content and yield across sites was not significant. Accessions differed significantly in the amount of green leaf still attached to plants at harvest. This variation was not related to maturity as judged by moisture content of the seed. There was a negative correlation across accessions between the weight of leaf per plant at harvest and harvest index (the ratio of seed weight to stem weight). from their work have now been assessed in the field and this paper reports the results. The As the costs of protein sources rise there is in-accessions were grown in a sowing date experiment creasing interest in Phaseolus vulgaris, the navy at the National Vegetable Research Station bean or haricot or dry bean, as a new crop for the (NVRS) in 1974 and then tested at six different United Kingdom. The cultivars currently available sites in 1975. These six sites were chosen to include have a narrow genetic base; Seafarer (syn. Purley 'cool' locations in the north of England and in King) and Seaway (syn. Revenge), which are the Scotland, as well as 'warm' locations in the south most widely grown, both trace back to the same and east of England.

Genotypic and environmental variation in crop yield. A method of estimating the interdependence of the components of yield

“…The data for which the coefficient dir was originally devised come from an experiment of which the main results been described by HARDWICK et al (1978).…”

“…Yet it is still not possible to quantify the degree of dependence between components. Using a qualitative approach we have described cases where the relations between components appear to have been additive, rather than compensatory (HARDWICK et al, 1978;HARDWICK et al, 1979). The purpose of the present paper is to describe a simple, quantitative approach to the problem of estimating yield component compensation.…”

Review of recent research on navy beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) in the United Kingdom

“…Their maps could probably also be used for navy beans. Navy beans have been trialled successfully as far north as Scotland (Hardwick, Hardaker & Innes, 1978), as indeed have green beans (North, Frith & Taylor, 1962), but the commercial acreage of green beans is limited to the southern and eastern counties of England, and the area suitable for navy beans is likely to be even more restricted; the ideal site will be a sheltered south facing slope on a light sandy loam, and not more than 120m above sea level (A. Shirlin, personal communication).…”

An analysis of the seasonal variation in the dry seed yields of eleven cultivars of Phaseolus vulgaris

“…(1976 calculated the integrated temperature during the growth period (in the form of Ontario heat units; Brown, 1969) and were able to use this parameter to predict flowering and harvest date, but we know of no recorded correlation between accumulated temperatures and yield. In 1975, Hardwick, Hardaker & Innes (1978) conducted trials at six sites in England and Scotland using both N. American cultivars of navy beans and selected cold tolerant cultivars of P. vulgaris. They reported no close relationship between temperature and yield differences between sites but found a significant correlation between yield and rainfall.…”

“…In this paper we report trials of eleven cultivars (including five used by Hardwick et al, 1978) conducted at NVRS, Wellesbourne over a period of four years. The object of the trials was to determine the genotypic potential and stability of cultivars whose cold tolerance had previously been determined in laboratory tests.…”