The Influence of Flower Removal on Growth and Seed Yield of Phaseolus vulgaris L.1

Abstract
Dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris cvs. Red Kidney and Great Northern) were grown in the cool season in the lowland tropics at Los Banos, Philippines. Manual removal of flowers for 11 days from first bloom resulted in increased wt of vegetative parts and no change in rate of total dry wt gain. New branches, roots, and leaves provided efficient alternate sinks for assimilates, so that leaf area was increased and maintained longer, and more branches formed. Although temporary flower removal increased pod set compared to control plants, pod and seed abortion prevented a significant yield increase. This resulted in lower ratios of seed wt to total dry wt, and decreased pod wt production per unit leaf area.

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