Yield and Yield Components of Lentil (Lens culinarisMedik.) Affected by Seed Quality and Water Supply

ABSTRACT:Effects of seed quality and water supply on yield and yield components of lentil were investigated in 2010 at the Research Farm of the University of Tabriz, Iran. A sub-sample of lentil seeds was kept as control or high quality seed lot and two other sub-samples with about 15% moisture content were artificially aged at 40°C for 18 and 22 days. So, three seed lots with different quality were provided. The field experiment was arranged as split-plot based on RCB design with three replications. Irrigation treatments (irrigation after 70, 100, 130, 160 mm evaporation from Class A pan, respectively) and seed lots were allocated to main and sub plots, respectively. Mean time to seedling emergence was decreased, but emergence percentage was increased with increasing seed quality. Decreasing water supply led to significant reductions in chlorophyll content index, grains per plant, 100 grain weight and grain yield per unit area. Plants from high quality seed lots had the highest chlorophyll content index and the lowest 100 grain weight, but these plants produced the highest grain yield per unit area under all irrigation treatments due to better stand establishment. It was concluded that cultivation of high quality seed scan considerably improve crop yield under favorable and adverse environmental conditions.