8/8/2019 Faba bean
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Faba bean: another important pulse
Faba bean is ranked first among highland cool-season food
legumes in Ethiopia. Some 328,000tonnes are produced on 350,000 ha
(FAO, 1999). The major constraints to increased faba beanproduction
are chocolate spot (Botrytis fabae), ascochyta blight, rust,
soilborne diseases, water-logging, cold, and drought.
The collaborative research on faba bean improvement started when
Ethiopia joined theICARDA/International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD) Nile Valley Project in 1985. Thisallowed the
Ethiopian national research program to begin field verification of
improved faba beanproduction practices, and take part in research
in collaboration with Egypt, Sudan, and ICARDA.With financial
support from the World Bank, a full-time ICARDA scientist worked
with Ethiopiancolleagues for four years from 1986. His job was to
lead a vigorous targeted program of research,technology transfer,
and training, with technical support from ICARDA scientists.
Since 1984, ICARDA has provided the Ethiopian national
agricultural research system with alarge number of breeding lines
of faba bean (2039), lentil (894), chickpea (183), and field
pea(92). Until the early 1990s, breeding programs in Ethiopia
depended mainly on plant selectionand crosses of landraces. Most of
the commercial varieties available in Ethiopia were developedfrom
local stocks. Since then, however, ICARDAs collection of faba bean
germplasm fromaround the world has been made available for
evaluation and crossing in Ethiopia. The nationalprogram has also
been strengthened through its participation in evaluations of
ICARDAinternational screening nurseries, selections, and
segregating material. Disease resistancetesting in Ethiopia
identified lines with resistance to chocolate spot and rust (ILB
938, 4615, 4725,and 4726).
The early use of genetic resources resistant to chocolate spot,
either directly or throughhybridization with locally adapted lines,
resulted in the release of two high-yielding varieties withimproved
levels of resistance to chocolate spot and rust. The varieties,
Shallo, released bySinana Research Center in 1999, and BPL 18021-2,
released by Holetta Research Center in2000, were targeted for the
central highlands.
Before 1985, most improved varieties were tested on research
stations managed by theEthiopian Ministry of Agriculture. Improved
agronomic practices were developed through researchinto optimal
seeding rate, planting date, weed management, and fertilizer
application. New, locallyadapted technologies were developed to
improve harvest management and to maintain post-harvest grain
quality.
After 1985, trials were initiated in farmers fields under the
ICARDA/IFAD Nile Valley Project.Through this effort, improved
cultural practices and faba bean lines, such as CS 20 DK for
highaltitudes and NC 58 for mid altitudes, reached farmers.
During 1986-92, 61 demonstrations were conducted in mid-altitude
areas and 143 in high-altitude areas. The mid-altitude production
package, including cultivar NC 58, averaged 1.88 t/hacompared with
1.05 t/ha from local practices, amounting to an average increase of
80%. Thehigh-altitude production packages, including CS 20 DK,
yielded 1.2-3.95 t/ha compared with 1.25-2.19 t/ha from local
practices. When compared with the local cultivar, yield increments
rangedfrom 30% to 199% (78% mean) over farmers packages. The
marginal rate of return (MRR) oninvestment for the NC 58 and CS 20
DK production packages were 337% and 322%,respectively, indicating
a high profit margin.
Dissemination of these new production packages started in 1989
and was economicallyevaluated with 139 farmers. Yield increases
ranged from 33% to 154%. In the countrys central
zone, 61% of farmers adopted the recommended improved cultivars,
32% adopted P fertilization,and 60% adopted hand weeding (Telaye
and Solh, 1994).
From 1982 to 1992, improved faba bean germplasm provided average
yield advantages of0.62 t/ha (86%) and 0.57 t/ha (74%) in high and
intermediate altitudes, respectively, in centralEthiopia. Income
improvement for small-scale farmers was 65% and 61% in the two
areas,respectively. The monetary gain represented 330% and 337% of
the additional technology costs,respectively. In large-scale
demonstration fields in 1989 and 1990, average yield advantage
of0.68 t/ha (64%) was recorded, corresponding to about 60%
improvement in farmers incomes.
Will farmers adopt these new packages? An earlier farmer survey
in Shewa region found that,from the faba bean package made
available, 52% adopted the improved cultivar, while 56%
