Cold tolerability in faba bean plants for maximizing productivity

Faba bean (Faba vulgaris.) is one of the most important winter crops of high nutritive value in the world as well as in Egypt. Mature seeds of faba bean are a good sources of protein (about 25% in dried seeds), starch, cellulose, vitamin C and minerals. Therefore, they have an increasing importance for human and animal food in the future. Although faba bean are consumed less in western countries, it is one of the main source of protein and energy for Africa, Asia and Latin America. It is a good alternative to expensive meat and fish protein. The longevity of storage life, ease of transportation and their low coast are attractive points for farmers. Faba bean are consumed as fresh faba bean bodes, seeds, conservative faba bean and as a dried seeds. Moreover, they have been used as a drug kidney stones, liver malfunctioning and eye diseases. At the same time they are used for animal food, broken seeds are mixed into animal diet and the vegetative parts of the plants are used as the animal fodder.