Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) yield potential and gap under supplementary irrigation in Ethiopia

Abstract

The average national yield of faba bean is very low (1.7 t/ha) in Ethiopia compared to the yields reported in countries like Argentina (8.9 t/ha), Bulgaria (5.7 t/ha), United Kingdom (5.4 t/ha), Uzbekistan (4.8 t/ha), and Belgium (4.5 t/ha). Factors which include climatic, edaphic, moisture stress, physiological, pests and crop management cause large yield gaps in Ethiopia. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the potential and yield gap of faba bean grown under supplemental irrigation.