Development of Farmers Participatory Integrated Nutrient Management Technology in Faba Bean

Faba bean crop production and improvement under unfavorable conditions is the main target for crop growers, breeders and investigators. Sandy and calcareous soils in dry land areas are marginal for crops production in general. The productivity of faba bean crop is low due to technological gaps in adoption of balanced fertilization. For attaining better yield of faba bean the technology (application of NPKS and micronutrients mixture, Fe + Mn +Zn at 60: 38: 50: 40 and 1.0 kg/feddan, one feddan= 0.42ha) was taken from Fertilization Technology Department, National Research Centre, Egypt and tested at farmer fields under Farm Testing program during winter season 2011/2012 at Nubaria district, North West Region of Egypt. After its satisfactory results over local check this technology was demonstrated at farmer fields during winter season 2012/2013. In this way, total of 2700 feddan area was covered in 18 villages with 450 numbers of farmers in two years under this technology. The recommended technology was able to increase plant height (cm), number of branches per plant, pods number per plant, seeds number per plant, 100 seeds weight (g) and straw and seed yield (ton/fed.) over the farmers practice with mean values of 7.2, 20.5, 18.5, 9.1, 17.1, 24.2 and 27.7%, respectively. In addition to improving nitrogen, potassium and micronutrients contents in faba bean straw and seed as compared with farmers practices. With respect to yield quality, protein content of both straw and seed was also increased by 8.3% and 21.0%, respectively. Based on means of two years of data farmers got L.E 3206 of addition return from expending additional cost of L.E 566 with incremental benefit cost ratio of 5.7. This program was effective in changing attitude, skill and knowledge of improved practices of recommended technology including adoption.