Cultivation

Faba Beans as Green Manure

Vicia faba L.

Faba beans are valued as a green manure for their robust taproot system, which penetrates up to 1.5 m, and their high nitrogen-fixation capacity. The crop effectively improves aeration in heavy soils and reduces soil acidity.

In the reference 4 varieties crop Broad bean, where this is mentioned in the description.

The faba bean root system provides deep soil loosening, which is critical for improving water permeability and aeration in heavy clay and waterlogged soils. The plant's high symbiotic potential manifests in the formation of up to 300 nodules on the roots, facilitating active atmospheric nitrogen fixation.

The plant is highly cold-tolerant, withstanding frosts down to –8 °С, and is capable of producing up to 60 t/ha of biomass during a two-month growing season. As a green manure, faba beans are successfully used for biological land reclamation; however, they are not recommended before planting related legume crops to prevent the accumulation of specific pathogens.

General information about the subject — on the page Green manures.

Sources8

Varieties of Broad bean mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.