Abstract:
Objective Composition and value of the broad bean branches pruned at flower-pod stage to be used for forage or fertilizer were evaluated.
Method Pruned branches from 11 varieties of Vicia faba L. were collected in the field to determine the biomass, nutrients content, and NPK uptake of the waste material.
Result It was found that the broad bean plants could be pruned 2 to 3 times at the flower-pod stage to yield 1.22-2.54 t·hm−2 on dry matters. As forage, the branches had a relative feeding value ranging from 96.79 to 120.23 that ranked by the various varieties as Tongcan (fresh) No.6>Lingxiyicun>I3>Tongcan (fresh) No.8>Tongcan (fresh) No.10>Tongcan (fresh) No.7>Tong 09-110-1>Ribendabaipi>I2>I1>I4. Thus, I3, Tongcan (fresh) No. 6, Tongcan (fresh) No. 8, Tongcan (fresh) No. 10, and Lingxiyicun were classified as upper Grade-2 and Tongcan (fresh) No. 7 as the lower level of the same grade, whereas I1, I2, I4, Tong 09-110-1, and Ribendabaipi as upper Grade-4. To be used as green manure, the pruned branches could be buried in soil to provide nutrient uptake on N at 43.79–75.20 kg·hm−2, 6.52–13.95 kg·hm−2on P, and 61.91–120.69 kg·hm−2on K, which represented effective equivalents of 34.09–98.82 kg of N, 8.50–14.21 kg of P, and 80.73–128.63 kg of K on a per hm2 basis.
Conclusion The biomass yield, quality, and nutritional value of the pruned branches of the broad bean variety I3, Tongcan (fresh) No. 6, Tongcan (fresh) No. 8, Tongcan (fresh) No. 10, and Lingxiyicun in the province had high values as forage, and I2, I4, Tongcan (fresh) No. 8, and Tong 09-110-1 high as fertilizer.