EFFECTS OF PLANTING ARRANGEMENT AND WEED CONTROL ON YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS OF RED BEAN (PHASEOLUS VULGARIS L.) CV. AKHTAR

In order to study the effects of planting arrangement and weed control on yield and yield components of cv. Akhtar, a red bean cultivar (Phaseolus vulgaris), an experiment was conducted at the Khomein National Bean Research Station during 1998-99, using a split plot design in randomized complete block with three replications. Four planting arrangements (50 ×5, 37.5 ×6.7, 25 ×10 and 18.75 ×13.3 cm) in main-plots, and two levels of weed control (weeding and unweeding) in sub-plots were considered. Results of combined analysis of variance revealed that planting arrangement had significant effect on grain yield. Decreasing row spacing and increasing plant spacing increased the grain yield, and in 37.5 × 6.7 cm treatment, the highest grain yield was obtained. Yield components were not significantly influenced by planting arrangement. Weeding was found to be an effective factor in increase of yield and its components. Plant height was also increased in free-weed plots. Unweeding caused yield decreases, so that the grain yield decreased by 41.2% compared to weeding treatment.