YIELD AND NUTRITIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF EDIBLE CLUSTER BEAN GENOTYPES

Abstract

Cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.), also called as guar, is used in industry, animal feeding and green pods are used as a fresh vegetable in some countries. This research is the first study in Turkey carried out nutritional composition. Ten edible guar lines were used as plant material. Green pod yield, yield components (number of pods per plant, single pod weight, pod length and pod width) and nutritional attributes (crude protein, digestible protein and dry matter ratios) of 10 guar lines were investigated with field experiments conducted in two growing seasons (2016-2017). Green pod yields per plant varied between 63.70 and 81.34 g; number of pods per plant varied between 18.78 and 25.98 piece. Single pod weights of the guar lines varied between 2.91 and 3.76 g and differences in single pod weights of the guar lines were found to be significant. Pod lengths varied between 10.86 and 12.43 cm and pod widths varied between 10.32 and 11.31 mm. Crude protein contents of guar lines varied between 14.38 and 17.22% DM and differences were not found to be significant; digestible protein contents varied between 65.40 and 75.25% CP and differences were found to be significant. Dry matter ratios of the green pods varied between 15.92 and 21.16%. Considering the correlations among the investigated traits, it was observed that green pod yields had significant positive correlations with the number of pods per plant, pod weights and pod lengths. Pod weights decreased with increasing number of pods; decreasing dry matter ratios were observed with increasing pod weights and pod lengths. A similar change was also observed in digestible protein contents based on crude protein contents.