Influence of Nitrogen and Sulphur Levels on Growth and Yield of Lentil (Lens culinaris M.)

Abstract

The field experiment entitled ‘‘Influence of Nitrogen and Sulphur levels on growth and yield of Lentil (Lens culinaris M.)’’ conducted during Rabi 2021 at Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, SHUATS, Prayagraj (U.P). The soil of experimental plot was sandy loam in texture, nearly neutral in soil reaction (pH 7.2), low in organic carbon (0.22 %), available N (171.48 kg/ha), available P (12.3 kg/ha) and available K (235.7 kg/ha). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with nine treatments which are replicated thrice. The treatments viz; 1: N-10 kg/ha + S-10 kg/ha, 2: N-10 kg/ha + S-20kg/ha, 3: N-10 kg/ha + S-30 kg/ha , 4: N-20 kg/ha + S-10 kg/ha , 5: N-20 kg/ha+ S-20 kg/ha , 6: N-20 kg/ha + S-30 kg/ha , 7: N-30 kg/ha + S-10 kg/ha , 8: N-30 kg/ha + S- 20 kg/ha ,9: N-30 kg/ha + S-30 kg/ha. Treatments consisted of three levels of Nitrogen (10, 20, 30 kg ha-1) and four levels of Sulphur (10, 20 and 30 kg ha-1). The results obtained that application of Nitrogen 30kg/ha along with Sulphur 30kg/ha recorded significantly higher Plant height (42.68cm), Number of nodules/plant (7.33) Plant dry weight (19.30g/plant), Number of Pods/plant (159.42), Number of Seeds/pod (1.80), Seed yield (1719.3kg/ha) and Stover yield (2814 kg\ha) and Harvest Index (37.92%). Higher Gross returns (87684.30 INR/ha), Net return (59773.60 INR/ha) and Benefit cost ratio (2.14) were obtained in the treatment with application of Nitrogen 30kg/ha along with Sulphur 30kg/ha. Sulphur application up to 30 kg ha-1 increased significantly the uptake of N and K by the crop. Protein content in grain increased significantly with the addition of N (30 kg ha-1) and sulphur (30 kg ha-1). Yield of lentil increased linearly with increasing levels of Sulphur. Therefore, it is concluded that the application of Nitrogen 30kg/ha + Sulphur 30kg/ha was more productive and economically feasible.