The pollination requirements of broad beans and field beans (Vicia faba)

Abstract

1. Broad bean plants caged with bees produced more seeds per pod, more seeds per plant, heavier seeds and a greater weight of seeds per plant than plants caged without bees. They also had more mature pods at the first harvest but the total number of pods picked was about the same for cages with and without bees. The flowering season of plants caged without bees was extended.2. Field bean plants caged with bees had more seeds per pod and more seeds per plant than plants without bees.3. For both crops, plants in the open had about double the number of pods, beans and weight of beans as plants in cages.