Agronomic Traits and Yield of Two Snapbean Cultivars in Different Planting Dates and Planting Methods

To assess the yield and agronomic traits of snapbean cultivars in different planting times and methods, an experiment was conducted for two years in Zarghan using a split- split plot with three replications. The main plots were two snapbean cultivars, Sunray and Contender, subplots were three planting times, end of April, early in May and mid May, when temperature was 24.7, 26.9 and 25.2ºC, respectively and sub-sub plots were three planting methods and seeding distance on row, 10cm single row, 15 and 20 cm double cross-rows. Different agronomic traits and yield in different treatments were recorded in different growth stages. Analysis of variance on data showed that the effects of planting methods and seeding distance on row were not significant on yield, but the effects of cultivar and planting time were significant. Seed germination and seedling emergence in Sunray cultivar occurred earlier than in Cantender cultivar. Sunray cultivar with 43.02 tha-1 in the first year and 57.57 tha-1 in the second year, produced higher yield compared to Contender cultivar with 24.34 tha-1 yield in the first year and 39.08 tha-1 in the second year. Two years mean yield of Sunray (50.29 tha-1) was also higher than that of Cantender (31.71 tha-1). The first planting time (end of April) increased yield of both cultivars and there were significant differences among planting dates for yield and agronomic traits. Generally, Sunray cultivar with higher yield and better bean quality, and planting time of end April were recognized as the best treatments for Zarghan areas.