ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Agro-Morphological, Yield Components
and Nutritional Quality Attributes of Vicia faba L.
var. Minor Cropped in Tunisian Arid Regions
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1
Dry land Farming and Oases cropping Laboratory, Arid Lands Institute of Medenine, University of Gabès, Tunisia
2
Faculty of Sciences of Gabès, University of Gabès, Tunisia
3
Department of Environmental Sciences, Higher Institute of Applied Biology of Medenine (ISBAM),
University of Gabes, Tunisia
4
Livestock and Wildlife Laboratory, Arid Lands Institute of Médenine, University of Gabès, Tunisia
5
Regional Center for Agricultural Research (CRRA) Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia
Submission date: 2021-04-01
Final revision date: 2021-06-11
Acceptance date: 2021-06-23
Online publication date: 2021-12-16
Publication date: 2022-01-28
Corresponding author
Samir Tlahig
Dryland Farming and Oases cropping Laboratory, Arid Land Institute of Médenine, El Fjé- Km 22, 4119, Médenine, Tunisia
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2022;31(1):929-946
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ABSTRACT
Faba bean (Vicia Faba var. Minor) is of great importance as it is commonly used as an excellent
protein source in food and feed. In Tunisia, the wide variability among local genetic resources might
be valorized by preservation and breeding programs. For that, the knowledge of the diversity within
this crop and its distribution across the oasis could be of great help in managing and improving its
germplasm. The objectives of the present study were to assess the phenotypic diversity within
a germplasm of 23 populations of local faba bean cropped in Tunisian arid regions. Characterization
was undertaken based on 29 parameters related to seeds, plant growth, flowers, and pods characteristic.
This agro-morphological characterization was carried out based on UPOV and Bioversity International
descriptors. Crude protein (CP), neutral and acid detergent fibers (NDF, ADF), and in vitro dry/organic
matter digestibility (IVDMD/IVOMD) parameters were also analyzed. Results revealed a considerable
genetic variability for most of the agro-morphological parameters. In fact, significant differences
(p<0.05) were revealed by ANOVA for the majority of the analyzed quantitative traits. The coefficient
of variation, used as a homogeneity index, was above 1.44 % for all characters, which ensures the
predominance of genetic components in the differences among populations. The overall variability
was analyzed via multivariate and dimension reduction approaches relatively using hierarchical
clustering and PCA methods, in order to classify populations into relatively homogenous groups after
the identification of the major traits contributing to the overall diversity. The superior populations
with the best precocity (95 DAS), with high total yielding per plant (500 g), and having the highest
digestibility (96.5%), the highest CP content (29.6%), and the least NDF content (44.5%) were identified. This assessment of traits diversity can assist breeders to manage and to valorize populations with
desirable characteristics to be used in various breeding programs.