Response of large seeded lentil to seed rate, phosphorus and FYM application in sub-tropical kandi-belt of Jammu and Kashmir

Field experiments were conducted during rabi seasons of 200304 and 2004–05 to find out the effect of seed rate, phosphorus and FYM application on growth and yield of large seeded lentil. Dry matter and total number of branches per plant decreased with increasing seed rates, while all the growth attributes including plant height increased significantly with phosphorus levels and FYM applications. Nodule number and dry weight per plant increased by 152 and 180 per cent at 40 kg P₂O₅/ha. Pod number, grains per pod and 1000-seed weight decreased while the grain yield (903.5, 1053.5 and 1299.0 kg/ha, respectively in 50, 62.5 and 75 kg/ha seed rates) and straw yield (2218, 2330 and 2476 kg/ha in 50, 62.5 and 75 kg/ha seed rates, respectively) increased with the seed rates. Yield and yield attributes increased with phosphorus (recording an increase of 29.7% in 40 kg P₂O₅/ha over control) and FYM applications (905.0 and 1175.5 kg/ha in 0 & 5 t/ha FYM, respectively). The grain yield at 75 kg/ha seed rate was 43.8% higher than 50 kg/ha whereas it was 29.7% and 29.9% higher at 40 kg P₂O₅/ha and 5 t FYM/ha, respectively. Higher seed rate (7.84 and 15.76% in 50 and 75 kg/ha seed rate, respectively) and FYM doses (11.60 and 20.92%, respectively in 0 and 5 t/ha) favoured more pest incidence, while increased P₂O₅ levels decreased the pod borer population (17.29 and 5.78% in 0 and 40 kg P₂O₅, respectively). Uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus increased with seed rate and phosphorus application uniformly, whereas FYM was found inconsistent.