Vicia faba

One of the oldest crops grown, a high source of protein in human diets, and important as a fodder and a forage crop for stock.
 
Faba Beans are an erect, tall crop of 1 - 2.5 m and have the ability to tiller. Depending on variety 1 - 3 tillers are common. The plant has a deep taproot with abundant of feeder roots which fix nitrogen to the soil. Flowering begins at 20 cm in height and grows in clusters of 3 - 8, with each flower cluster producing 1 - 5 pods. As the crop ripens,s it turns black, with the seed pods becoming ripe from the lowest and working up the stem to the top.
 
pros

• Is a nitrogen-fixing plant

•  A valuable component of the arable cropping rotation

• Excellent break crop enhances cereal yield and decreases the occurrence of take-all

• Fits well into a sustainable cropping programme

• Stubble residue is a nutrition source for stock feed

• Have the potential to improve soil fertility and structure through the deep taproots and nitrogen-fixing ability of the crop

• As a break crop in the rotation, Faba Beans allow for an alternative approach to disease, pest and weed management

•  Can tolerate mild winter frosts but the optimum growing temperature is 15 - 25oC

• Tolerates water logging and acid soil types better than other grain legumes

• Does best with soil pH ranging from neutral to alkaline pH of 7.0 to 9.0. the liming before establishment may be beneficial