Abstract:
Common bean, normally grown in inland valley swamps in the dry season to utilize residual soil moisture, is widely consumed as a cheap source of protein, but varieties in Sierra Leone are photoperiodic, late maturing, low yielding and not adapted to inland valley swamp ecology. A study to assess growth and yield performance of six improved bush genotypes was conducted in inland valley swamp in the dry season using randomized complete block design with three replications. Genotypes differed in growth parameters and grain yield and yield components. Number of pods, dry filled and empty pod weights and seed number were highest for the highest-yielding genotypes "Maharagi Soja" and "ZKA-93-6m/95" and lowest for the lowest-yielding genotype "AFK 708". The high-yielding genotypes also produced the biggest and tallest stems and maintained the highest leaf number, leaf area and leaf life. All genotypes showed symptoms of pest and disease incidences, but severity of damage and population density of pest differed among genotypes. "Lola Bush" and "Nguaku-Nguaku" had very low severity of all the pest and diseases monitored. The results indicate that plants with big and tall stems have high amount of nutrients and therefore support high leaf and flower numbers and leaf area and longer leaf life and hence high number of pods and grain yields. The high yielding genotypes "Maharagi Soja" and "ZKA-93-6m/95" with these characteristics appeared to be better adapted to inland valley conditions than the other genotypes. The lowest severity of pest and diseases observed on "Lola Bush" and "Nguaku-Nguaku" suggests that they are promising sources of resistance/tolerance to major pests and diseases in Sierra Leone. |
