Dry matter and grain yield, harvest index and water use efficiency by common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), as affected by the aeration porosity of soils

Abstract

Experiments were carried out in greenhouse, at ESALQ-USP, in Piracicaba, Brazil, with soil samples of the A and B2 horizon of an Oxisol (LR) and an Alfisol (PVp), without and with lime and mineral fertilizer, to verify the influence of the aeration porosity (5,1 to 28,7%) on the behaviour of the common bean Aroana 80. The water content in the 2,5 liter soil per pot, was mantained between 100 and 70% of the field capacity. It could by verified an influence of the macroporosity (diameter bigger than 50μm) on the grain number and weight, root and above ground part dry matter yield, and the ratio above ground part/root (3,1 to 12,7). It did not affect the thousand grain weight (135 to 254 g), the harcest index (0,18 to 0,50), the water use eficiency (428 to 911 ml/g dry matter, and 854 to 4196 ml/g grain) and the vegetative cycle (86 to 101 days). The soil fertility level affected all the data considered.