The evaluation of morphological traits, emergence characteristics and electrical conductivity rate of seed and their relationship with plant stand in five genotypes of chiti bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

The common bean is an important food because of its high protein content and generous amounts of fiber، complex carbohydrates، and other dietary necessities. In order to determine characteristics of produced bean’s genotypes in our country and because there are some relationships between these characteristics this work was done. Thus some morphological and physiological traits of seeds of five Chiti bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars including، Talash، Mahali Khomein، Cos-16، G 14088 and GO1437 genotypes was determined. The study was carried out in Agricultural Research Center of Arak - Iran (Research Station of Khomein’s Bean) in 2004-2005. The seeds were growth in a light soil with plenty of moisture in the growing season. The seed planting was arranged as randomized block design (RBD) with four replicates. The size (length، width and thickness) of the seeds، shape index (A/B)، shape of the seeds، 100-seed-weight، the seed bigness، moisture content، testa rates، the speed and rates of the water absorption، electrical conductivity، the germination percent and percent and duration of emergence were determined that experimental design was a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replicates. In addition correlation between parameters was determined by statistical methods. The bean cultivars had very significant difference (P<0. 01) in seed size (length 11. 6-12. 9 and width 7. 4-9. 1 mm)، shape index (1. 2-1. 6)، 100 seed’s weight (30. 8-47. 9 gr)، testa rates (8. 1-9. 07%)، the water absorption after 23. 5 hours (88. 8-124%)، electrical conductivity (1. 6-3. 6 µS/cm) and emergence duration (6. 3-11. 3 days). There wasn’t any significant difference between genotypes for percent of germination and emergence rates in the soil. All genotypes had a very good germination percent and emergence rates (more than 93% for emergence and almost 100% for germination). The results revealed that there was a significant and negative relationship between water absorption rates at 3 and 19 hours and moisture content of the seeds، but the correlation between water absorption rates at hours of 3 and 19 and emergence rates was negative but not significant. The correlations between testa rate and emergence duration، between water absorption rates at 1. 5 and 3 hours and emergence duration، between electrical conductivity and water absorption in the end of 24 hours، between electrical conductivity and testa rates، and between water absorption at 20. 5-23. 5 hours and testa rates that all correlations were positive and significant. There wasn’t any significant relationship between germination percent and other factors.