Yields of mixtures of single-cross hybrid field beans (Viciafaba L.) with one of the parental inbred lines

Abstract

The yields of seed from a hybrid, one of its parents and different mixtures of the hybrid and parent were compared in the case of two different hybrids. Open-pollinated controls were included in the trial, which was sown at about the normal rate for beans. With both hybrids a mixture of 11 of hybrid to 1 of parent yielded as well as the hybrid itself and mixtures of 2 of hybrid to 1 of parent yielded in both cases about 7 cwt./acro more than the mean of the open-pollinated controls. With the higher-yielding hybrid, which had less contrast in vegetative vigour between hybrid and parent, mixtures in the proportions 5:1 and 2:1 showed declining yields, but with the other hybrid they yielded as well as the pure hybrid.