Two field trials were carried out at the experimental farm of Gemmeiza Agricultural Research Station during the two successive seasons 1997/98 and 1998/99 to study the response of faba bean plants, cultivar Giza-2, to foliar spray with Zn and B at concentrations of 250, 500 and 750 ppm.
The obtained data showed that leaves of plants sprayed with Zn or B contained more amounts of chlorophyll and carotene than untreated plants. In general, the differences in total chlorophyll among Zn or B levels were not significant after 60 days from sowing and significant at the late stage of growth (90 days after sowing).
All studied levels of Zn and B significantly increased plant height, No. of branches / plant, straw and seed yield, 100 seed weight and protein yield. The mid rate of Zn i.e 500 ppm and the high one of B i.e 750 ppm were the most effective treatments in this respect.
Concentrations of N,P and K in plants responded differentially (at the two stages of growth i.e 60 and 90 days after sowing) to the foliar spray with Zn or B. The highest values of N and P concentrations at 60 days from sowing were for plants sprayed by 500 ppm Zn or 750 ppm B. At the late stage of growth, 90 days after sowing, N concentration reached to maximum values with application of high level of either Zn or B while the highest P concentrations were obtained with the mid rate of Zn or B. The high level of Zn and the mid level of B reflected highest K concentrations at the late stage of growth
Seeds and straw of plants sprayed with either Zn or B contained high amounts of N, P and K compared to untreated plants. Generally the highest relative increases in N, P and K uptake in seeds were obtained with application of Zn and B at 500 and 750 ppm respectively.