Suitability of Vicia faba L. genotypes for organic farming conditions
Natalia A. Georgieva
, Valentin Ivanov Kosev
, Nikolay Genov, Yordanka Naydenova
Abstract: Vicia faba is one of the best performing crops under global warming and climate change conditions, with opportunities to be grown in low-energy and organic production systems. The present study aimed to evaluate, based on a complex of characteristics (stability, productivity, tolerance to Botrytis fabae and feeding value), and to identify Vicia faba genotypes suitable for organic production conditions as well as for breeding purposes. The source collection included 12 genotypes. Suitability for organic growing showed Fb11, which is characterized by a fast average daily growth rate (0.88 cm day-1), greater plant height (68.70 cm), and amount of biomass formed (56.10 g DM plant-1 or 21.4% above the average for the studied accessions) – traits that ensure higher competitiveness against weeds. The same one demonstrated good stability (according to the values of the regression coefficient /bi/ and stability variance /σ2/), and received a high overall evaluation according to the main parameters of biochemical composition (CP, CF, NDF, ADF, ADL), in vitro digestibility, protein (PBD, PDIN, PDIE) and energy (FUM, FUG) feeding value of the forage. Fb11 was able to realize its productive potential despite showing sensitivity (S) to Botrytis fabae. From a breeding point of view, the following genotypes with the corresponding characteristics were of interest as parent forms: Fb 10 – most productive (58.31 g DM plant-1), but unstable (bi = 1.91); Fb08 – showing moderate resistance (MR) to Botrytis fabae; Fb 05 – with the highest feeding value; Fb 12 –stable in all studied parameters (bi, θi, W2, σ2), but less productive (by 4.5% below the average value for the group).
Keywords: Botrytis fabae; feeding value; genotypes; organic farming; suitability; Vicia faba
Citation: Georgieva, N. A., Kosev, V. I., Genov, N. & Naydenova, Yo. (2026). Suitability of Vicia faba L. genotypes for organic farming conditions. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 32(1), 122–129
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| Date published: 2026-02-25
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