Performance of Common Bean Using Seeds Harvested from Plants Fertilized with High Rates of Molybdenum

Abstract

Three field trials were conducted with common bean. In the first trial, the effects of molybdenum (Mo) rates as foliar application on yield and Mo content of seeds were studied. In the other trials, a factorial 4×2 was used to investigate the effects of seeds with four Mo contents either with or without foliar Mo application. In the first, trial, seeds of the cv. ‘Pérola’ with 0.027 μ g Mo seed⁻¹ were used in the following Mo treatments: (a) untreated control, (b) 90 g ha⁻¹ at 21 days after emergence (DAE), (c) 180 g ha^{− 1} at 21 DAE, (d) 360 g ha^{− 1} at 21 DAE, (e) 720 g ha^{− 1} at 21 DAE, (f) 360 g ha^{− 1} at 17 DAE + 360 g ha^{− 1} at 23 DAE, (g) 1440 g ha^{− 1} at 21 DAE, (h) 720 g ha⁻¹ at 17 DAE + 720 g ha^{− 1} at 23 DAE, (i) 360 g ha^{− 1} at 17 DAE + 360 g ha^{− 1} at 21 DAE + 360 g ha^{− 1} at 27 DAE + 360 g ha^{− 1} at 32 DAE. All plots received a basal fertilization of 32 kg N ha^{− 1}, 49 kg P ha^{− 1}, and 53 kg K ha^{− 1}, with urea (110 kg ha^{− 1}) as side dressing 14 days later. For the other trials, the following seed Mo contents were selected from the first trial: 0.080 ± 0.044, 0.096 ± 0.058, 0.722 ± 0.290, and 1.272 ± 0.579 μ g of Mo seed^{− 1}. All plots received a basal fertilization of 24 kg N ha^{− 1}, 37 kg P ha^{− 1}, and 40 kg K ha^{− 1}. Bean yields were not affected by the Mo treatments, and Mo contents of seed were increased from 0.096 (untreated control) to 1.272 μ g Mo seed^{− 1} (treatment i). Mo contents of seed did not affect yield when a N-rich soil was used. However, on a N-poor soil plants raised from seeds with 1.272 μ g Mo seed^{− 1} yielded more than those from seeds with low Mo content, especially when the plants did not receive Mo by foliar application. This investigation shows that it is possible to produce enriched seeds by foliar application of high Mo rates without grain yield reduction, and that plants raised from these seeds have a higher yield potential.

Keywords:

• Phaseolus vulgaris
• foliar application
• molybdenum content of seeds
• yield

Notes

¹Collected at 45 DAE

²Seed weight was used for this calculation.

³DAE = days after plant emergence.

^*Average of 4 replications. Means followed by the same letter are not significantly different according DMRT at 5% level.

¹Applied at 27 days after emergence (DAE) at a rate of 90 g ha^{− 1} in 500 L ha^{− 1}

²Leaves collected at 50 DAE.

^*Average of 6 replications. Means separation by DMRT at 5% level.

^**Significant at 1% level by F test, ^ns = not significant.

¹Applied at 23 days after emergence at a rate of 90 g ha^{− 1} in 500 L ha^{− 1}

¹Y = yellow, PG = pale green, G = green, and DG = dark green. Two colors mean variation among plots.

¹Applied at 23 days after emergence (DAE) at a rate of 90 g ha^{− 1} in 500 L ha^{− 1}

²Collected at 42 DAE.

³From eight plants.

⁴Evaluated at 88 DAE.

⁵Seed weight was used for this calculation.

^*Average of six replications. Means separation by DMRT at 5% level.

^**Significant at 1% level by F test, ^ns = not significant.

¹Sprayed on foliage at 23 DAE at a rate of 90 g ha^{− 1} in 500 L ha^{− 1}

²Average of six replications. Means separation by DMRT at 5% level.

³Comparison of Mo treatments within each Mo content treatment. ^** = significant at 1% level by F test, ^* = significant at 5% level.

¹Sprayed on foliage at 23 DAE at a rate of 90 g ha^{− 1} in 500 L ha^{− 1}

²Average of six replications. Means separation by DMRT at 5% level

³Comparison of Mo treatments within each Mo content treatment.^** = significant at 1% level by F test, ^* = significant at 5% level, ^ns = not significant.