Cultivation of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) subjected to shallow water table at riparian wetland in South Sumatra, Indonesia

Abstract

Common bean is a susceptible vegetable to excessive water condition in soil. Meanwhile, flooding occurrence and soil water table are unpredictable at riparian wetlands. These circumstances make cultivation of common bean in riparian wetland challenging. A field experiment was conducted at post flooding period but soil water table was still less than 30 cm below soil surface during transitional period from wet to dry season, in May to August 2017. Site location was a paddy field at Sungai Selincah Village, within riparian wetland ecosystem in South Sumatra, Indonesia. The paddy field is characterized by alluvial soil and periodically flooded for 4-6 months during rainy season. Raised beds were constructed for setting up water table positions at 10, 15, and 20 cm below soil surface. Results of this study indicated that common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) could tolerate soil water table at depth of 15 cm or deeper without significant decrease in growth and yield. However, soil water table at depth of 10 cm significantly reduced plant height, number of trifoliate leaves, diameter of canopy, shoot dry weight, root length, number of primary lateral roots, chlorophyll content index (CCI) during reproductive stage, total number of pods, and cumulative yield. In conclusion, it is possible to grow common bean at riparian wetland ecosystem as early as soil water table has subsided to 15 cm below soil surface during transitional period from wet to dry season.