Causes of and Control Methods for Flower Bud Drop in Winged Beans

Winged bean, also known as winged pea or four-angled bean, is cultivated in Hainan, Guangxi, Taiwan, China and other places. Not only are its tender leaves and young pods edible, but its tuberous roots are also edible, and it has high nutritional value. However, during the cultivation of winged beans, flower bud drop often occurs, seriously harming the yield and quality of winged beans. So how should it be controlled? Let's take a look together.

1. Drop at the early flowering stage

The main reason for flower bud drop in winged beans at the early flowering stage is poor flower bud development caused by high temperatures. In addition, when the vegetative growth of branches and leaves exceeds the reproductive growth, it can also lead to poor flower bud development, causing them to fail to bloom or fail to set pods.

Control measures: Sow at the appropriate time, and take good cooling measures during high-temperature periods. Alternatively, plant growth regulators can be used to preserve flowers and pods, and triacontanol can also promote earlier flowering of winged beans and increase the pod-setting rate.

2. Drop at the full flowering stage

The main reason for flower bud drop at the full flowering stage is that the flow of photosynthetic products is dispersed, so the nutrient supply to flower buds is insufficient. This period is precisely when both vegetative growth and reproductive growth are most vigorous. Various development centers compete fiercely for nutrients. At this time, photosynthetic products need to flow to stem and leaf growth, flowering and pod setting, tuberous root enlargement, and rhizobia nitrogen fixation, etc., which often leads to insufficient nutrition for flower buds and young pods and causes massive drop.

Control measures: Strengthen fertilizer and water management, use nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers reasonably, prune and top the plants in time to inhibit vegetative growth, and thin out weak flowers so that nutrients can be supplied in a concentrated way and the pod-setting rate can be greatly increased.

3. Climatic factors

In different regions, differences in geographical conditions often cause abnormal flower bud development, resulting in blocked flowering and fertilization and thus drop.

Control measures: Plant growth regulators can be used to prevent pod drop, commonly including triacontanol, gibberellic acid, and others.

4. Damage by pod borers

In some old vegetable fields or continuous cropping land of legumes, pod borer damage is severe. Its larvae often choose to bore into and feed on the lower part of pods, eating young pods clean, causing pod drop and flower bud drop.

Control measures: To control pod borers, spray 2.5% beta-cyhalothrin 1500-2000 times dilution or 0.36% matrine 1000 times dilution. 

  The above is an introduction to the causes of and control methods for flower bud drop in winged beans. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.