EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL DESICCATION VERSUS SWATHING ON SEED YIELD AND QUALITY OF FABABEANS (VICIA FABA)

Abstract

Fababean plants were swathed or desiccated with diquat [6,7-dihydrodipyrido (1,2-A:2′, 1′-C) pyrazinediium salt] at four stages of maturity corresponding to the time when 0, 10, 25 and 50% of the pods had turned from green to black. Over the 3 yr of the study no significant differences were observed between seed yields from swathed or desiccated plants. Regardless of whether the plants were swathed or desiccated, yields and seed quality tended to be higher from plants which had 25% or more black pods at the time of treatment. Desiccating before 25% of the pods have turned black may have a more serious effect on reducing seed quality than swathing before the recommended time. By desiccating prematurely, there is a risk of reducing seed quality by significantly increasing the number of discolored or shrivelled seeds.