Faba bean

Faba bean, Vicia faba, is a winter growing pulse, or food legume crop.

Faba bean was first grown commercially for grain in South Australia in the early 1980s, and is now cultivated in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia. Small areas are grown in Tasmania and southern Queensland. It is a cool season crop in Australia, planted in autumn and harvested in late spring–early summer.

This Agfact includes information on:

• Suitable environments
• Why grow faba beans?
• The plant
• Breeding of faba beans in Australia
• Growing the crop
• Weed control, disease risk and management
• Harvesting
• Financial returns
• Rotation benefits
• Livestock feeding
• Faba bean marketing