Two field experiments were conducted at Sdment elgabal, BeniSuef Governorate during the two winter seasons of 2011/2012 and
2012/2013 to evaluate the performance of five faba bean varieties (Giza
2, Giza 40, Giza 429, Giza 843, and Misr1) for seed yield and related
traits. Five statistical procedures ,i.e., descriptive statistics, simple
correlation, multiple linear regression, stepwise regression, factor
analysis and path analysis were applied to determine the relationship < br />between faba bean seed yield and its components.
Highly significant and positive associations were detected
between seed yield (g/plant) and each of plant height, number of
pods/plant and harvest index.
From the multiple linear regression analysis revealed that plant
height, number of seed/ pod, weight of seeds/pod, 100seeds weight and
harvest index were significantly contributing to seed yield. Stepwise
analysis indicated that plant height, number of pods/plant, harvest index
and number of seeds/ pod were accepted as major variables contributing
to seed yield/plant variation with R2 =68.9%. Factor analysis classified
the eight studied traits into three main factors explaining 70.19% of the
total variability in the dependent structure.
Factor 1 was responsible for 26.74% of the total variation in
yield and included number of pods/plant and seeds weight /pod. Factor 2
included number of seed/pod and 100-seed weight and contributed by
26.46% of the total variation. Plant height, number of branches/plant
and harvest index were the components of the third factor and accounted
for 16.99% of the total variation. Path analysis indicated that the highest
positive direct effects were scored by plant height, number of seeds/pod,
100-seed weight, harvest index and weight of seeds/pod with relative
contribution to total yield variability of 12.13% ,11.78%,7.19%,6.82%
and 4.82%, respectively. The greatest components of indirect effects for
most traits of 16.45% were shown by number of seeds/pod via 100 seed
weight. Consequently, it seems that selection for these last two traits
could be useful for improving faba bean productivity.