YIELD STABILITY IN FABA BEAN, VICIA-FABA L .1. VARIATION AMONG INBRED LINES

Cultivation of faba beans (Vicia faba L.) is hampered by poor yield stability. The genetic variation at the homozygous level for yield stability in the gene pool of the small-seeded and indeterminate European faba beans and the usefulness of auxiliary traits for the improvement of yield stability were investigated. The concept of stability, based on the regression technique, was applied. A sample of 36 faba bean lines was tested in 16 environments and a subsample of eight lines was tested in 11 additional environments. Significant differences were found between lines for yield stability parameters, but the repeatability of the results was limited. Early maturity correlated markedly (r = 0.51**) with one of the yield stability parameters (deviation from regression). Although lodging resistance was not correlated with the stability parameters, it proved to be a safety factor for performance.