The Effects of Different Manurial Treatments on the Yield and Mineral Composition of Runner Beans (Phaseolus Multiflorus)

The effects of farmyard manure (FYM), peat, and fertilizers applied in 1957 on the yield and mineral composition of runner beans grown in 1957 and 1958 are described. The residual effects of the organic matter treatments were compared with the effects of further applications of fertilizers in 1959 and i960. No fertilizer was applied in 1958.

In the year of application, FYM produced more than twice the yield of bean pods than did a generous application of fertilizers, but in succeeding years the difference decreased and had disappeared by i960. Peat had a much smaller effect on yield than FYM, both in the presence and in the absence of fertilizers, and by 1959 its residual effect was negligible. Possible reasons for the difference between the yield responses to applications of FYM and peat are discussed.

The results of chemical analyses of whole plants (1957) and of leaves (1958-60) did not indicate any major nutrient deficiency in the plants from the fertilizer-only plots, as compared with those from the FYM-treated plots, such as might account for the observed yield differences.

The manurial treatments had relatively little differential effect on the nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium contents of the bean leaves but had a large effect on their potassium and magnesium contents. In the bean pods, only the concentration of potassium was markedly affected by the manurial treatments. While there was a negative K/Mg interaction in the leaves, this was not found in the pods, in which the concentration of magnesium was virtually constant.

Runner bean leaves were found to contain more magnesium than many other vegetable materials, but the amount in the pods was much lower than that in the leaves, with the result that the amount of magnesium removed by this crop was similar to that removed by other vegetables.