Effects of plant spacing on uniformity of pod maturity in French beans

Abstract

Four cultivars of French beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) were grown in the field at a range of plant spacings in two seasons. The distribution of pod sizes, particularly as it affected the uniformity of pod maturity, was examined. Individual plants were more variable in their contribution to yield as density increased.
In a glasshouse experiment, a more detailed description of plant form and the distribution of flowering and pod sizes according to positions on the plants were recorded. The nodes which bore the majority of the early flowers became the main yielding nodes. This information allowed an interpretation of yield responses in the field to plant density in terms of patterns of flowering.