Response of faba bean plants to drought stress and different plant density

Abstract

Abstract This study was carried out to examine and assess how the faba bean cultivar Marriott 2 (Vicia faba L.) responded to water stress and plant density.The effects of different faba bean planting densities per fed. (D1 = 20 kg, D2 = 30 kg,and D3 = 40 kg) and varied levels of drought stress (i.e. single irrigation,double irrigation,triple irrigation, and conventional irrigation) were studied.The obtained results illustrated that the total amount of chlorophyll might be badly impacted by a shortage of water. Additionally, a water deficit raised the contents of nitrogen, proteins, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and proline while also, increasing the activity of the antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase. Furthermore,the outcomes demonstrated that it was significantly influenced by plant density,except calcium content and superoxide dismutase enzyme activity. At the level of interaction, all traits were significantly affected except the calcium content, throughout the winter growing season (2021–2022). Generally, the overall performance of the faba bean variety (cv. Marriott 2)was good and the results confirmed the existence of variations in the chemical composition with water regimes and various plant densities. Water deficit(three irrigation treatments) of water supplied up to75% of water holding capacity may slightly retard crop composition, this did not restrict the crop's ability to respond to their deviations in the chemical composition.Also, faba bean responded well at the optimum density 30kg/fed in all examined traits.