LENTIL CULTIVATION:- Introduction, Taxonomy, Nutrient management

 

INTRODUCTION

 lentil

Botanical name :- Lens culinaris

Family :- leguminosae

Chromosome number :-2n = 14            

Origin :- Egypt, Central and southern Europe.

 

Taxonomy

Kingdom :- Plantae

Class :- Magnoliopsida

Order :- fabales

Family :- leguminosae

Genus :- Lens

Species:- culinaris

 

Floral biology

Lentil is self pollinating crop due to cleistogamy with less than 1% cross pollination.

Pollination normally occurs jest before the flower opens.

The stalked flower is arranged along an unbranched axis.

The flower is pale blue, white or pink.

The flowers consist of 10 stamens.

The pistil consists of the stigma the style and the ovary usually with two ovules.

 

Importance

Lentil is a valuable human food, mostly consumed as dry seed.

Lentil are an excellent source of iron, Mg, potassium, vitamin-B etc.

They are also a great source of plant-based protein and fiber.

Lentil protein are comprised of around 16% albumin, 70% globulins, 11% glutina etc.

 

Varieties

WBL-81, k75, LL147, KLS218, simal, shikhar, ILL-2573.

  Soil

 

Well drained and deep ploughing .

Optimum soil p^h  is 6 to 6.5 .

Alluvial , black and red soil are most suitable for sugarcane cultivation .

Acidic soil are not fit for growing lentil.

 

Climate

Sun loving plant and 10-14 hours day length require.

Long duration crop.

Optimum temperature for sugarcane cultivation is 26 to 30 degree centigrade.

Grown at 1000m or more above sea level.

 

 

 Field preparation

The soil should be friable and weed free. On heavy soil, one deep ploughing followed by two to three cross harrowing should be done. After harrowing the field should be levelled by giving a gentle slope to ease

 

 

 Time of sowing

Rainfed:- 1^st  October

Under irrigated condition:- 1^st fortnight of November.

Late sowing:- 1^st week of December.

 

  Method of sowing

Drilling and broadcasting method.

 

 Seed treatment

Fungicide:- thiram + carbendazim or thiram@3gm per kg seed.

Culture:- rhizome + PBS, one packet each for 10 kg seed.

 

  Seed rate

 Small seed:- 40-45kg per hectare.

Bold seed:- 45-60kg per hectare.

Late sown condition:- 50-60kg per hectare.

 

 

 

 

  Spacing

30cm  row spacing .

 

  Nutrient management

NPK = 20:40:20 kg per hectare.

FYM = 15-18 q per hectare .

Compost = 25 ton per hectare .

 

  Irrigation

Irrigation should be given at 40-45 days of planting and second at pod filling stage. Most critical stage for moisture stage is pod formation followed by flower.

 

Method of irrigation :- 

Furrow irrigation

 Sprinkle irrigation

  Weed management

Two manual weeding.

One at 25-30 days after sowing.

Another 45-50 days after sowing.

Intercropping, crop rotation.

Atrazin@2kg per hectare 500ltr water after 2 day of planting.

2,4-D @ 1 kg per hectare after 60 days of planting.

A weed free period of early 45-60 days is important.

 

  Disease management

Grow resistance variety like Pl406,4,639 etc.

Setts treated by 0.2% solution of Bavistin.

Crop rotation.

Spray  mancozeb.

 

  Harvesting

Crop becomes ready for harvest when leaves begin to fall stem and pod turn brown or straw in color and seed are hard and rattle with 15% moisture inside them.

Harvest time:- 110 days after sowing.

 

Yield :-  15-20 q of grain per hectare.