Phenology, dry matter distribution and yield attributes under normal and drought stress conditions in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)

Twenty lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) genotypes were raised in field under normal (irrigated) and drought stress (non-irrigated condition) during rabi seasons of 2008–09 and 2009–10. The observations on phenological days, dry matter distribution in plant parts at different phenological stages, mean environmental temperature and total degree days were recorded. Seed yield were higher under normal as compared to drought condition. Multiple regressions between seed yield and different traits exhibited that all of them did not have significant contribution. Seed yield and seed yield determining factors were found to be different under normal and drought stress conditions. Under non-irrigated condition, lentil seed yield was determined by total dry matter production and its partitioning/day, mean temperature and total degree-days during podding to maturity. Under irrigated condition, lentil seed yield was determined by root dry matter at vegetative stage, total dry matter yield, per day dry matter production and its partitioning during seed filling period and total degree-days during flowering to podding. Multiple correlation (R) of traits were 0.9996 and 0.9984 and coefficient of determination (R²) were 0.9992 and 0.9964 under non-irrigated and irrigated conditions, respectively. Optimum values of the traits for seed yield maximization also varied amongst irrigated and non-irrigated conditions.