More about faba bean

Faba bean is commonly known as field bean, broad bean or horse bean. Broad bean is a larger seed type grown for human consumption as a fresh vegetable, while horse bean and field bean are used as dry grains, mainly as animal feed but also in food production. Faba bean is important for sustainable and local livestock feeding and an ideal opportunity to produce GMO-free feed rations. The marketing opportunities for bean for human consumption are developing rapidly in Europe.

Faba bean is an annual legume that is usually sown in spring. However, types well adapted to autumn sowing tolerate frosts down to -15 ° C after a hardening phase.

Faba bean grows up to 1.8 m high and can branch.There are no tendrils. The flowers are white to purple and have a strong, sweet scent that is attractive to bees and other pollinators. The colour of the seed ranges from light to dark red-brown..

Faba bean performs well on relatively heavy, neutral to acid, soils that provide a steady supply of water over the growing period. Faba bean should not be grown more frequently than one year in five to prevent the build-up of soil-borne diseases and pests, especially during flowering and early pod formation. Light soils are only suitable if there is sufficient rainfall or a high groundwater level. Faba bean is sensitive to waterlogging and soil compaction.

Faba bean has a high crude protein content of 26 to 33 % in seed dry matter. Yields of grain types range from 3.0 and 7.0 t/ha with maximum yields of 10 t/ha, depending on the location and the cultivation system.