Response of common bean cultivars to mineral fertilisation in the collines department of Benin

The present work was undertaken with the aim of evaluating the influence of mineral fertilizers and local varieties on the yield and economic profitability of common bean in order to identify cultivars of the species presenting interesting agronomic potential for fixation and the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen. An experimentation was conducted in Ouèdèmè in the commune of Glazoué (Benin), with tretments including15bean varieties and fertilisation (NPK 14-18-18 and Urea 46% N), applied in a split-plot arrangement. Results showed that production of dry bean seeds depended on the variety and fertiliser used. Variety MSCn3 gave a yield of 2264.925 kg. ha-1with fertilisationused. The unfertilised: 1170.32 Kg. ha-1 versus fertilised plots: 1573.94 Kg.ha-1, a gain of 44%). (unfertilised: 1170.32 Kg .ha-1 versus fertilised plots: 1573.94 kgha-1, a gain of 44%). The analysis of the RVC indicated, however, that the application of fertilisers to common beans was generally less profitable, apart from the local varieties HZZZn3 and GOLn6, whose RVCs were, respectively above 2. At the end of this study, the local cultivars LSCn3, SDCn5 and AOGn1 which gave a small increase in yield in kgha-1 are those which showed a strong increase in leaf biomass. Therefore, subject to further studies, they could be recommended as cultivars predisposed to good fixation and conversion of mineral nitrogen to ammonia.