PERFORMANCE OF LENTIL VARIETIES UNDER DIFFERENT NITROGEN MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the research field of Department of Agronomy, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka during November, 2011 to March, 2012 to study the effect of N rate and appropriate schedule for high lentil yields of modern varieties. The experiment was comprised of six levels of nitrogen managements viz. N0 (0 kg N ha-1), N1 (20 kg N ha-1 as basal application), N2 (40 kg N ha-1 as basal application), N3 (20 kg N ha-1 as basal and 20 kg N ha-1 at branch initiation), N4 (20 kg N ha-1 as basal and 20 kg N ha-1 at flower initiation) and N5 (20 kg N ha-1 as basal and 20 kg N ha-1 at pod initiation) and three varieties viz. V1 (BARI Masur 4), V2 (BARI Masur 5), V3 (BARI Masur 6). The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design under factorial arrangement with three replications. The results indicated that the tallest plant (28.83 cm), the highest branches plant-1 (16.85) and above ground dry weight plant-1 (14.21 g) were recorded from BARI Masur 5 at harvest. The maximum nodules plant-1 was counted at 60 days after sowing (DAS) with BARI Masur 5. The highest pods plant-1 (80.03), 1000 grain weight (22.72 g), seed yield (1770 kg ha-1) and stover yield (2921 kg ha-1) was recorded from BARI Masur 5. The highest value of growth, yield and yield contributing parameters at harvest were obtained from 40 kg N ha-1 as basal application (N2). The highest values obtained were 37.93 cm, 14.41, 16.23 g, 97.89, 24.43 g, 2088 kg ha-1and 3270 kg ha-1 for plant height, branches plant-1, dry weight plant-1, pods plant-1, 1000 grain weight, grain yield (kg ha-1) and stover yield. The maximum nodules plant-1 (7.431) was counted at 60 DAS from 40 kg N ha-1 as basal application (N2). Interaction effect variety and N management revealed that V2N2 (BARI Masur 5× 40 kg N ha-1 as basal application) showed the highest grain yield (2164 kg ha-1) and stover yield (3335 kg ha-1). The treatment without nitrogen either as individual or interaction had the lowest performance in respect of yield attributes and yield. The maximum seed yield was attributed due to greater production of above ground dry matter which eventually supported increased yield attributes of lentil.