Assessing the Yield Response of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) as Influenced by Different Sowing Dates and Land Situations in Indian Sundarbans

In order to assess the effect of agroclimatic factors on the development and production of lentil (cv. WBL 77) grown under different sowing dates and land situations, an experiment was conducted during the winter seasons of 2016–17 and 2017–18 in the coastal saline zones of West Bengal. Lentil was sown on six different dates starting from 23^rd November to 25^th December in both the seasons in two different land situations viz. medium upland and medium lowland. It was observed that both early sown lentil resulted in higher grain (Year 1 = 733.41 kg ha⁻¹, Year 2 = 881 kg ha⁻¹,) and stover yield (Year 1 = 2035.6 kg ha⁻¹, Year 2 = 2422 kg ha⁻¹) and took more time to mature when cultivated in the medium lowland situation irrespective of sowing dates. Crop developmental rate was positively associated with the air temperature and accumulated agrometeorological indices. Air temperature and total solar radiation during 100% emergence to 100% flowering stage were negatively associated with the grain yield, while rainfall and relative humidity were positively correlated with the grain yield of lentil. Grain and stover yield could be predicted with 91.0% and 85.0% predictability, respectively. Grain yield could be predicted with 88% predictability at the end of 100% flowering phase.