Fodder beans (Vicia faba L.) – is a highly productive plant species widely used for both green mass production and as a seed product. The plant reaches a height of up to 90 cm, has a small number of stems and nodes, which facilitates crop processing. Leaves are medium-length and width with a blue-green hue, while flowers are long with a characteristic wing containing a melanin spot.
Key characteristics of beans include average flowering and full development time, allowing flexible planning of agrotechnical activities. The mass of 1000 seeds is considered small, yet this does not reduce yield: green mass reaches from 12.0 to 23.0 t/ha, and seed quantity – from 2.5 to 3.0 t/ha. Beans have a square or wide-elliptical shape, beige in color with a black hilum, and walls of medium thickness.
Legumes play an important role in the agro-system by enriching the soil with nitrogen and other nutrients. When used as a fodder crop, they contribute to improving soil structure and enhancing its fertility. Due to high yield indicators and beneficial properties, beans are an indispensable element of crop rotation.
