Two field experiments were conducted on the Experimental farm of El- Gemmeiza Agric.Res.Station,Agric.Res. Center for two seasons; 1998 /99 and 1999 /2000. The aim of these experiments was to evaluate the impact of coating faba bean seeds(Giza2variety) with certain micronutrients on the production and mineral composition of both faba bean seeds and straw. Zn, Mn and Fe were applied by seed coating method individually or in all possible combinations in EDTA form at rate of 0.3gm for either Zn or Fe and 0.15 gm for Mn / kg seeds. The mean results of the two growing seasons could be summarized as follows:
1- Yield components (number of branches and pods / m2; plant height,cm; weight of seeds,gm / plant and 100 seed weight,g) as well as seed, straw and biological yields, kg/feddan were positively affected by the application of Zn, Mn and Fe either individually or in mixtures. In this respect, the maximum responses were observed in case of the triple treatment followed by the double and single treatments, in a descending order.
2- Among the dual treatments, the mixtures of (Zn+Fe) and (Zn+Mn) gave the highest increments for the above-mentioned parameters. Whilst, Zn and Fe gave values higher than those of Mn.
3- Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents in both seeds and straw were significantly increased by seed coating with various micronutrient treatments especially with the triple one.
4- Application of the investigated micronutrients alone or in combinations caused significant increases in its content of both seeds and straw and also promoted the contents of the other micronutrients. Meanwhile, triple and dual treatments had the superiority effects.
5- Seed and straw yields were significantly correlated by its content of Zn, Mn and Fe as the following multiple regression equations:
Y1 = 429.4 + 2.9X1** + 3.3X2 + 0.47X3 (r2 = 0.98)
Y2 = 472.6 + 1.8X1** + 1.0X2 + 0.52X3 (r2 = 0.93)
Where;
Y1 and Y2 indicate the mean values of seed and straw yields, respectively in (kg/fed.).
X1, X2 and X3 indicate the mean values of Zn, Mn and Fe content, respectively, in (g/fed).
** significant at 0.01 level.