Selection of the Elite Lines with High Adaptability to Autumn Sowing of South Korea in Faba Bean

This study involved an evaluation of agronomic characteristics to identify elite faba bean (Vicia faba L.) lines adapted to the environmental conditions in Korea. A total of 371 accessions were sown in February 2015, and 256 lines among 1,006 individuals were selected based on seed size and color as well as seed yield per plant. Thirty seeds of each line were sown in October 2015 to analyze the winter survival rates and agronomic characteristics. The 129 lines that survived until March were examined based on nine traits, including flowering date, plant height, number of stems, pot length, pot width, seeds per pot, 100-seed weight, seed size and seed color. Finally, ten elite lines were selected according to the winter survival rate, seed size and color, as well as seed yield per plant. Green seeds were observed for four of the selected lines, brown seeds were observed for two lines, and black, purple, and beige seeds were detected in one line each. The average winter survival rate was 74.8%. Moreover, the average plant height and 100-seed weight were 83.5 cm and 10.8 g, respectively. The plants produced an average of 150 seeds. These results will be very useful for autumn-sown of faba bean in South Korea, and ten elite lines will provide great opportunity for faba bean breeding.