The present research investigated two faba-bean cultivars: traditional Neptun and self-completing Granit harvested from the experimental field of the Mochełek Experiment Station, the Faculty of Agriculture and Biotechnology, the University of Technology and Life Sciences, over 2008-2010. The analysis of morphological characteristics was made at two seed maturity stages: physiological and technical. The stem strength traits: stem section modulus Wy and maximum bending load σwere determined with the use of INSTRON 8874 universal testing machine (High Wycombe) applying 80 mm stem fragments sampled from the internode right under the first pods. The faba bean cultivars investigated, despite the lack of differences in the degree of lodging, differed significantly in terms of 5 out of 7 morphological traits researched. As for the physiological seed maturity, average stem section modulus Wy was significantly higher than at full maturity. Average maximum bending stress σ(stem resistance to bending), on the other hand, was significantly differentiated neither by the degree of seed maturity nor the faba bean cultivar. The increase in the total stem length and the setting height of the 1st pod and the length of fruit-bearing shoot, as well as the stem thickness and its inner diameter was accompanied by the increase in the stem section modulus and a decrease in stem resistance to bending.

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