Abstract
Three experiments were carried out during 2004 at the laboratory of Horticulture Department, Agriculture and Forestry College, Mosul University to evaluate the drought resistance ability of five faba bean cultivars through the performance of their seeds which were previously obtained from well watered and water stressed plants under matric potentials rates 100, 200, or 300% moisture of the original seed dry weights; osmotic potential rates 0.0, -0.5, -1 or -1.5 Mpa ; and 25, 50, or 100% soil AWC. The results manifested that Towaytha cultivar seeds obtained from well watered plants treatment showed the highest final germination percentages under moisture levels of 100 and 200% of original seed dry weights (57 and 81.7%, respectively). This treatment gave the highest final germination percentages 86.7, 71.3, 34.7 and 19.3 when they were germinated under 0.0, -0.5, -1 and -1.5 Mpa osmotic potentials. Moreover, it was superior over other treatments as it showed the highest final germination percentages 18.3, 71.7 and 71.7%, respectively, under 25, 50 and 100% soil AWC. Implication of seeds obtained from previously water stressed plants should be avoided in order to ensure field uniformity. Sowing seeds in salt water more than that corresponding to -0.5 Mpa or under soil available capacities below 50% are not recommended, particularly seeds harvested from water stressed faba bean plants. Forecasting for drought resistant cultivar segregation depending up on germination performance of seeds under sub-optimal conditions might not be considered for precise estimation.
