Effects of Nutrients and Salinity on Yields, Growth, and Nutrients distribution of Faba Beans Grown in Hydroponics System

Abstract

In Palestine, several varieties of broad bean-Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) are grown in nearly every part of the country and used as human and animal feed. With the limited use of hydroponic piped systems for agricultural production and the increased salinization of many groundwater wells in eastern parts of Palestine, it is essential to understand and evaluate the factors that affect the yield, and growth of Faba beans grown in piped hydroponics under various nutrients and salinity levels. In this experiment, two salinity levels (4.68 ds/m-1 and 7.8 ds/m-1 NaCl), three levels of Cooper nutrients solution (100%, 25%, 300%), and three Faba Beans cultivars (Baladi, Artasi, and Isbani) were investigated. The experiment was divided into six groups, containing three piped lines each. Nutrient solutions were supplied to the three cultivars twice daily. Overall, the results indicated that increasing Cooper concentration, increase plant height, leave’s area, number of leaves, and number of pods, but decreased root length in the three cultivars. It was found that there is no significant difference between (25% and 100%) cooper solution in vegetative growth, while in the 300% cooper solution, there is a significant decrease in vegetative growth, but no pods were produced in the three cultivars. The application of Sodium chloride (4.68 ds/m-1) caused reductions in plant height, the number of leaves, leave’s area, and the number of pods produced but increased the root length while the application (7.8 ds/m-1) of NaCl causes death in the flowering stage so that plants didn’t produce pods. There is no significant difference found in vegetative growth between the two applied salinities.