Phenology and dry matter production in bush bean varieties of different growth habit

Abstract

A trial was established using va- rieties of bush beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) characterized by different growth habits to determine the times and duration of their developmental stages and dry matter accumulation. The varieties were “Peruano Mostaza”, determinate growth habit type I; “Palomo”, indeterminate erect habit type II; and “Azufrado Tapatío”, indeterminate prostrated growth habit type III. All three varieties were sown in a randomized complete- block design with 3 replications. Recordings included (1) the developmental stages; and, (2) samplings of dry matter taken at the onset of each stage from the first trifoliate leaf. Dry weight accumulation curves were elaborated and the growth rates between suc- cessive phenological stages were obtained. These varieties showed a similar life-cycle of 88-to-93 days after sowing, but differences in reaching some stages of devel- opment. Dry matter production among the varieties presented dif- ferences in some stages of growth. “Peruano Mostaza” was superior in the first and second trifoliate leaves, “Palomo” at pre-flowering and flowering, while “Azufrado Tapatío” registered the high- est production of biomass upon reaching physiological maturity. Disaggregation of the dry matter,

vegetative, and reproductive structures showed an increase up to the stage of pod-filling, but from podfilling to physiological maturity the vegetative part decreased and the reproductive part increased. Growth rates (gday-1m2-1) showed similar results to those observed in dry matter production; the variety “Peruano Mostaza” had its highest growth rate in the third trifoliate leaf-to-pre-flowering period (9.13 gday-1m2-1); “Palomo” from pre-flowering to flowering (12.0 gday-1m2-1); and “Azufrado Tapatío” in the flowering-to-pod- formation period (12.27 gday-1m2-1).