Variability for harvest index and biomass in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik) varieties

Lentil is an important cool season food legume of our nation and positions next just to chickpea. Pulses are generally known to produce higher vegetative part and less grain yield, consequently poor harvest index. Lentil is no exception to this, and produces excess vegetative growth and support lesser grains. Therefore, in present investigation attempt has been made to screen 36 lentil varieties for biomass and harvest index in macro-sperma and micro-sperma types. Ample amount of variability were recorded for both harvest index and biomass. 37.78–62.96 per cent and 3.38 g to 40.94 gm range was noticed for harvest index and biomass, respectively. At the end of present investigation, three lentil varieties viz. L 4147, IPL 406 and PL 234 were identified as high biomass and high harvest index varieties. These varieties may be used as an agronomic base in the future lentil improvement programme for evolving high yielding varieties.