Impact of Planting Date on Nutritional Composition of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Seeds Across Varieties

The legume, Faba bean (Vicia faba L.), offers high nutritional value with consumer market appeal as an affordable plant-based protein source. Ranking third in global importance after soybean and pea, faba bean provides significant amounts of carbohydrates and essential micronutrients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of planting date (spring vs. fall) on the seed composition of six faba bean varieties: Grano, Ziyad, Aprovecho, EN3, EN47, and Windsor. Planting date significantly influenced protein and carbohydrate contents as well as the protein-to-energy (PE) ratio, but had no significant effect on calorie, ash, or fat content. Fall planting resulted in higher carbohydrate content but lower protein levels and PE ratio compared to spring planting. Among the varieties, Ziyad recorded the highest protein content (26.3%) and the lowest carbohydrate content (60.6%). Additionally, fall planting increased calcium concentration and density, while spring planting enhanced the levels and density of iron, magnesium, and sodium. Potassium content varied significantly among varieties, with EN3 having the lowest (1260 mg/100 g) and Grano the highest (1580 mg/100 g). EN3 (625 mg/100 g) and EN47 (624 mg/100 g) had the lowest phosphorus levels, whereas Ziyad (750 mg/100 g) and Aprovecho (755 mg/100 g) showed the highest. These results highlight the critical role of planting date in determining the nutritional composition of faba bean seeds. Further studies are recommended to investigate amino acid profiles, detailed carbohydrate composition, and fatty acid content across different genotypes and sowing dates.