An analysis of the seasonal variation in the dry seed yields of eleven cultivars of Phaseolus vulgaris

Nine determinate and two indeterminate-bush dry seed cultivars of P. vulgaris were grown in trials for four successive years. Mean annual yield of air dry seed (15% moisture content) varied between 222 and 398 g/m². Most of the annual variation in yield was accounted for by differences in the quantity of nitrogen fertiliser applied and in the duration of bright sunshine during August. The annual mean harvest date varied between 20 September and 9 October. There was a significant negative correlation between the mean harvest date and the number of Ontario heat units accumulated between 20 May and 20 July. There were significant interactions between genotype and environment for both yield and harvest date; joint regression analysis of the interactions showed that five of the cultivars, which had previously been identified as cold tolerant in laboratory tests, all showed greater stability of yield and of maturity date than standard navy bean types. Environmental variation in the yield components of the cold tolerant selections tended to be compensatory, while that of the standard navy beans was additive in its effects on yield.