Behaviour of different faba bean (Vicia faba L.) improved accessions in relation to Orobanche crenata Forsk. and Orobanche foetida Poir.

Eight faba bean accessions from the Faba Bean International Orobanche Nursery distributed by the International Center of Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) were studied in fields naturally infested by Orobanche feotida and Orobanche crenata, in the Beja (Orobanche feotida) and Ariana (Orobanche crenata) regions (Tunisia) during the 2002-2003, 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 seasons. The objective was to evaluate their behavior in the presence of the two Orobanche species by determining the incidence and the severity of infestation and grain yield. All the characters studied showed broad variations. Some improved accessions behaved better than the susceptible line included in the essays as control. These improved accessions presented lower numbers of emerged broomrape and a higher seed yield compared to the controls. These accessions can form appropriate material for an integrated control package and can be used as sources of resistance to create new varieties resisting Orobanche.