Quality and Nutritive Value of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) as Affected by Production Environment and Genotype

Faba beans (Vicia faba L.) represent an essential source of food protein for many people in Sudan, especially those who cannot afford to buy animal meat. The demand for faba bean seeds is greatly increased in recent years, and consequently its production area was extended where the climate is marginally suitable, these marginal environments’ were affect the quality aspects of faba bean. An experiment was conducted for three consecutive seasons (2005/2006, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008), at five environments representing different soil types. The objective was to study the effect of these environments on cookability (quality) of Faba bean with consideration to the prevailing temperature and relative humidity of these environments. The environments were: (E1): Al Salama location to represent lower terrace soil (Riverian); (E2): Hudeiba Research Station Farm to represent middle terrace soil (Kuru); (E3): Almatara location; to represent high terrace soil; (E4): Wad Medani location= Gazira Research Station Farm to represent central clay plain soil (Vertisols); (E5): Ed Damer Food Security Scheme location to present high terrace soil. Six Faba bean lines were selected: Small-medium seeded (H.72/7/1, Daba.1/1, Z B F.1/1, C.86, Triple White and Large seeded Turki. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results showed that soil types had significant effects on cookability aspect. The high cookability seed of faba bean under all production environments was recorded from lower terrace soil (Riverian) in E1 (Al Salama location) and the poor cookability seeds of faba bean were recorded from the high terrace soils in E3 (Almatara location) and E5 (Ed Damer) Food Security Scheme). The new production area E4 (Wad Medani) location) produced a moderate cookability seed.