Faba Bean Production and Research in China

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is the fourth most important pulse crop in the world. More than 50% of the world area of faba bean is in China, where it has multiple uses: the dry seeds, green vegetables, or processed food products are a cheap source of high-quality protein in the human diet; and the dry seeds, green haulm, and dry straw are used as animal feed. Faba bean also serves as a break crop in continuous cereal rotations, improving the productivity of the soil. Green haulms are used for green manuring. The major constraints in faba bean production in China are low and unstable yields caused by abiotic and biotic stresses. Development of germplasm with resistance to these stresses, and good adaptation to the different agro-ecological regions and respective uses are the main objectives of the faba bean breeding programs in China. Long-pod varieties with large seeds are desirable for the use as food crops, green vegetables, and food processing; varieties with medium seed size and early maturity are required for intensive farming systems involving raising three crops (faba bean, early rice, late rice) per year; determinate faba bean types are suitable for mixed cropping with cotton; whereas varieties with small seeds and a high number of branches are needed for use as animal feed or green manure. The breeding programs are complemented by agronomic studies on sowing date, plant density, and fertilizer application as well as food processing of faba bean. The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) has the world mandate for faba bean improvement. As China is the largest single producer of faba bean in the world, ICARDA from the very start made efforts to establish strong linkages with the Chinese national programs working on this crop. Collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) and the relevant provincial academies was developed, which led to exchange of scientific visits and research material. As part of this collaboration a meeting on faba bean improvement was held at the Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences (ZAAS) in Hangzhou, China, from 24 to 26 May 1989. The objectives of the meeting were: (1) to review the: a) importance of faba bean in legume production, general agriculture, and the rural economy of China; b) the current status of genetic resources work on faba bean in China and the future needs; c) major constraints to faba bean production and research in different agro-ecological situations of different provinces of China; d) status of research on the different aspects of faba bean improvement at ICARDA and overview of ICARDA's research mandate and achievements, and (2) to develop a strategic plan for future research on faba bean in China. Participants in the meeting came from different organizations and provinces of China (CAAS, ZAAS, academies, and institutes of agricultural sciences in other provinces) as well as from Japan and ICARDA. The presentations generated great interest because information about faba bean research for most provinces in China is not well documented. Each presentation was followed by stimulating discussion which provided the foundation for developing the recommendations.