ABSTRACT
Performance of faba bean genotypes with Orobanche foetida Poir. and Orobanche crenata Forsk. infestation in Tunisia

Imen Trabelsi1*, Zouhaier Abbes1, Moez Amri2, and Mohamed Kharrat1,3
 
Orobanche foetida Poir. and O. crenata Forsk. are major constraints to faba bean (Vicia faba L.) cultivation in Tunisia. To evaluate the different levels of resistance of seven small-seeded faba bean genotypes to these parasitic weed species, three trials were conducted in fields infested and non-infested with O. foetida in the Oued Beja Agricultural Experimental Unit and O. crenata in an experimental field at Ariana of the National Institute of Agricultural Research during three cropping seasons. Compared to the susceptible cv. Badï, the seven genotypes showed moderate to high levels of resistance to both Orobanche species. The number and dry weight of emerged broomrapes and underground tubercles recorded on the new improved genotypes were lower than those recorded on released and resistant ‘Najeh’ and ‘Baraca’. The parasitism index on the new genotypes varied from 2-6 times less than susceptible ‘Badï’ in both Oued-Beja and Ariana. Yield reduction due to O. foetida infection varied from 13.5% on genotype XAR-VF00.13-89-2-1-1-1-1 to 59.7% on ‘Baraca’, whereas the yield loss was about 92% on the susceptible control. Parasitic infection did not affect dry grain protein accumulation in the tested genotypes.
Keywords: Broomrape, Vicia faba, resistance, Tunisia.
1Carthage University, National Institute for Agricultural Research of Tunisia (INRAT), Rue Hédi Karray, 2080 Ariana, Tunisia. *Corresponding author (trabelsiimen11@yahoo.fr).
2Carthage University, Regional Field Crop Research Center of Beja (CRRGC), Route de Tunis, km 5, 9000 Béja, Tunisia.
3International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Rabat Office Av. Mohamed Belarbi Alaoui, P.O. Box 6299, Rabat-Institute, Rabat, Morocco.