Influence of irrigation regime on the leaf area and leaf area index of French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

• Published in: Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture Vol. 27; no. 2; pp. 171 - 177
• Main Authors: Kalaydjieva, Radost, Zlatev, Alexander
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sofia College of Food & Agriculture, United Arab Emirates University 01.02.2015; Pensoft Publishers
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Beans; Canning industry; Cultivars; Drought; Experiments; Field capacity; Field tests; Health aspects; Irrigation; Leaves; Legumes; Mimosaceae; Norms; Physiological aspects; Plant growth; Rain; Soil moisture; Studies; Water shortages
• ISSN: 2079-052X; 2079-0538
• DOI: 10.9755/ejfa.v27i2.19271

In field experiments the influence of irrigation regime on leaf area and leaf area index in bean plants are investigated. Cultivar "Strike" was used, which is a highly yield, with cylindrical pods and is intended mainly for the canning industry. Experiments were conducted according to the block method, in four replications and size of experimental plots 17.5 [m.sup.2], and crop plots--10 [m.sup.2] and planting pattern of 50 x 5 cm. The variants are the following: 1. Without irrigation; 2. Optimum irrigation by the maintenance of "pre-irrigation soil moisture" over 80% of the Field Capacity (FC); 3. Irrigation with variant 2, but with 30% reduction of irrigation norm; 4. Irrigation with variant 2, but with 70% reduction of irrigation norm. A close relationship between the irrigation norms and leaf area index (LAI) for the conditions of the experiment is established. This relationship is subject to the equation Y = 1-0.609[(1-x).sup.1,5] , where [R.sup.2] = 0.981. Relationship has been found between LAI and yield, which is expressed best by the quadratic equation: Y = 547.8x - 31.9[x.sup.2]-746.6, at [R.sup.2] = 0.91. The relationship between the mass of leaves (x) and LA is linear, as in terms of dry mass, it is expressed by the equation LA= 81.95x, with [R.sup.2] = 0.843. In terms of fresh leaf mass equation is: LA=35.073x at [R.sup.2]=0.912.