Soil improver, ley legume and green manure
Faba bean is a potent and efficient N-fixing legume. In Australia, it was reported to contribute 270 kg/ha of N to the soil, resulting in increasing yields (+ 1-1.5 t/ha) and protein content (+ 0.7-1%) in the following wheat crop. These improvements were not only due to N fixation but also to positive effects of the faba bean crop for controlling certain wheat diseases (crown rot and nematodes) (Matthews et al., 2003). Faba bean is also used as green manure, to provide large quantities of N to spring-sown species such as maize or vegetables. In Switzerland, faba bean can be sown in September, in mixtures with common vetch (Vicia sativa) or field pea, in order to be mulched and ploughed under during spring (Clerc, 2013).