Determination of Critical Period of Weed Competition in Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) at Haramaya, eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

Weeds reduce the yield and quality of faba bean if they are left unmanaged. Therefore, a field
experiment was conducted using the faba bean variety Gachena (EH91001-13-2) as a test crop
under rain fed conditions at Haramaya, eastern Ethiopia, during 2017 main cropping season with
the objective to determine the critical period of weed competition in faba bean. Twelve
treatments in two sets, i.e. increasing duration of weedy and weed-free set each comprising weed
competition and weed-free durations up to 15, 30, 45, 60 and 75 days after crop emergence
(DAE) up to harvest, were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three
replications. The data were collected on both weeds and the crop. The results of the study
revealed that the maximum faba bean grain yield loss due to weedy check was 55.7% as
compared to the grain yield from weed-free check (3,376 kg h a 1). Thus, to prevent more than 5%
yield loss of faba bean, the variety Gachena should be kept free of weeds from 237 to 669
growing degree Celsius days.