The Relationship Between Sugar-Nitrogen Ratio and Reproductive Organs Abscission in Faba Bean (Vicia Faba L.)

The changes of soluble sugar and total nitrogen content of vegetative organs in faba bean, sugar-nitrogen ratio, abscission of reproductive organs and the relationship between sugar-nitrogen ratio and abscission probability were studied using the faba bean cultivar Xichang Dabai . Plants were field grown in 1986, 1988 and 1990. The lands were separated into high yield land, middling yield land and low yield land according to grain yield at maturing stage. The soluble sugar content in vegetative organs (leaf + stem) was greatest from branching to floral initiation stages and pod-set to filling grain stages, and distinctly decreased at the onset of bloom and maturing stages. The total N content was greatest at branching stage, and gradually decreased with growth. In general, the sugar and total N contents in high yield lands were greatest, followed by that in middling yield and low yield lands. The sugar-nitrogen ratio varied depending on the soluble sugar content.
Average yield on high yield lands, middling yield land and low yield land across 3 years were 5048.77 kg/ha, 3744.01 kg/ha and 2378.22 kg/ha, respectively. The total reproductive organs abscission exceeded 90 % of total flower buds. Abscission probability averaged across 3 yield lands and 3 years were 21.6 %, 84.0 % and 32.8 % in flower buds, flowers, and pods, respectively. Node 7–12 of canopy produced more flowers, and fewer flowers and pods were produced in the upper and lower regions. Photosynthate supply has been implicated in control of abscission. Faba bean reproductive organs abscission probability increased with the sugar-nitrogen ratio of vegetative organs decreasing. It seemed that the soluble sugar content influenced significantly the shedding rate during flowering and pod-growing stages.