INFLUENCE OF VARIETY AND PHOSPHOROUS ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF LENTIL

Abstract

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the influence of variety and phosphorous on growth and yield of lentil at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University farm, Dhaka, Bangladesh during November, 2015 to March, 2016. The experiment comprised of two factors viz. i) Factor A: three lentil cultivars V 1 = BARI Masur 5, V = BARI Masur 6 and V 3 = BARI Masur 7 and ii) Factor B: four levels of phosphorus P = 0 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 , P 1 = 20 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 , P 2 = 40 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 and P 3 = 60 kg P The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with three replications where lentil varieties were assigned in the main plot and levels of phosphorous in the sub-plot. Variety of lentil showed significant influences on most of the growth, yield and yield attributes of lentil. The highest seed yield (1.44 t ha -1 ) was observed in BARI Masur 6 while the lowest in BARI Masur 7 (1.03 t ha -1 ). Phosphorus fertilizers had a significant effect on the growth, yield and yield attributes of lentil. The highest seed yield (1.46 t ha -1 ) was recorded from 40 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 2 O 5 2 0 ha and the lowest one (0.99 t ha ) from 0 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 . Interaction of variety and phosphorus levels showed significant effect on most of the growth, yield and yield attributes of lentil. The highest seed yield (1.72 t ha -1 ) was obtained from the combination of BARI Masur 6 with 40 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 and the lowest one (0.80 t ha -1 ) was obtained from BARI Masur 7 with 0 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 . Addition of phosphorus fertilizer beyond 40 kg ha -1 decreased seed yield irrespective of varieties. Application of phosphorus fertilizer at the rate of 40 kg P

ha -1 could be a best production package for lentil production irrespective of varieties in different lentil growing regions of Bangladesh.