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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Miami, Florida » Subtropical Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #140572
Title: FLOODING INFLUENCES ON GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF BUSH BEANS (PHASEOLUS VULGARIS) UNDER GREENHOUSE CONDITIONS

Author
item Reed, Stewart
item D Ambrosio, Florence
item LI, YUNCONG - UNIV OF FLORIDA
item RAO, RENUKA - UNIV OF FLORIDA

Submitted to: Journal of Vegetable Crop Production
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/27/2004
Publication Date: 5/5/2005
Citation: Reed, S.T., D Ambrosio, F.R., Li, Y., Rao, R. 2005. Flooding influences on growth and development of bush beans (phaseolus vulgaris) under greenhouse conditions. Journal of Vegetable Crop Production. 11(2): 48-51.

Interpretive Summary: The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project will result in an elevated water table in agricultural areas adjacent to the Everglades National Park. In 2001 a greenhouse study was initiated to determine the tolerance of green beans to flooding of various durations and at different growth stages. Plants were flooded from one to eleven days. Flood treatments began when plants reached either early vegetative (second true leaf open), early reproductive stage (first flower open on the main stem) or late reproductive (green seeds fills 2 of the pod cavity) growth stage. In study 1 flooding during the early vegetative growth stage for one, two and five days resulted in both the number of bean pods produced and the pod fresh weight being similar to that of the non flooded control. The remaining flood treatments resulted in pod fresh weights 73% or less than the control weight. The number of surviving plants had more influence on the pod fresh weight than did flood duration. The number of pods produced per plant was correlated to pod fresh weight. Only one plant grown to either the early or late reproductive growth stage survived flooding for > 24 h. There was a 21% yield reduction for plants flooded for 24 h during the early reproductive growth stage. Flooding for 24 h at the late reproductive stage resulted in a 50% yield reduction. In study 2 plants flooded during V2 growth stage did not flower. Flooding during the V4 and R1 growth stages caused a 70% and 49% reduction in yield, respectively. Pod production slowed with increasing flood duration. Where flooding occurred before flowering, yield reduction was attributed to low plant survival and fewer pods per plant. This trend increased with flood duration. If flooding began after flowering, then yield reduction was due to a lower pod weight. Leaf senescence coupled with reduced CO2 assimilation in the remaining leaves, likely inhibited the plants= ability to allocate the products of photosynthesis to the developing pods.

Technical Abstract: The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project will result in an elevated water table in agricultural areas adjacent to the Everglades National Park. In 2001 a greenhouse study was initiated to determine the tolerance of green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) to flooding of various durations and at different growth stages. Plants were subjected to eleven flooding treatments lasting from one to eleven days. Flood treatments were initiated when plants reached either early vegetative growth stage (second true leaf open), early reproductive stage (first flower open on the main stem) or late reproductive stage (green seeds fills 2 of the pod cavity). In study 1 flooding during the early vegetative growth stage for one, two and five days resulted in both the number of pods produced and pod fresh weight being statistically similar to that of the non flooded control. The remaining flood treatments resulted in pod fresh weights 73% or less than the control weight. The number of surviving plants had more influence on the pod fresh weight than did flood duration. The number of pods produced per plant was correlated to pod fresh weight (r2 = 0.90). Only one plant grown to either the early or late reproductive growth stage survived flooding for > 24 h. There was a 21% yield reduction for plants flooded for 24 h during the early reproductive growth stage. Flooding for 24 h at the late reproductive stage resulted in a 50% yield reduction. In study 2 plants flooded during V2 growth stage did not flower. Flooding during the V4 and R1 growth stages caused a 70% and 49% reduction in yield, respectively. Pod production slowed with increasing flood duration.