Performance of green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) as affected by fruit setting hormones and time of application in Minna, Nigeria

Abstract

This study evaluated the performance of green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) as affected by fruit setting hormones and time of application in Minna, Southern guinea savanna Nigeria. The treatments were three levels of fruit setting hormones (Control, Cytokinin and Beta Naphth Oxy-acetic Acid (BNOA)) and four periods of application (seed priming for 8 hours + application at vegetative and flowering stage, application at vegetative and flowering stage only, application at flowering stage only and application at two weeks interval throughout the experiment). These were factorially combined to give twelve treatments combinations which were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Data were collected on growth, flowering and yield parameters. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance using General Linear Model procedure of Minitab software. Differences between the means were separated using least significant difference (LSD) at 5% level of probability. The results revealed that seeds primed with cytokinin were the fastest to emerge while those primed with BNOA did not emerge. Plants that received BNOA at 2 weeks interval and plants that received Cytokinin both at vegetative + flowering stage had the longest vine, fattest stem and largest leaf area. Plants that received BNOA were the earliest to approach 50% flowering (33 days) compared to other treatments (34-40 days). Plants that received Cytokinin at two weeks interval throughout the experiment had the longest pod, fattest pod, heaviest fresh and dry pod weights as well as the highest number of pods per plant. Application of cytokinin at 2 weeks interval throughout the growth stages of green beans can therefore be recommended to improve the productivity of the crop.