The Response of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) to Variety and Water Management under Old Brahmaputra Floodplain Soil of Bangladesh

Abstract

Water scarcity is one of the major stresses that limit plant growth. Lentil is cultivated in Bangladesh by using residual soil moisture. Considering this point, the present study was undertaken to determine the effect of water management on the growth and yield of lentil. An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during the period from November 2016 to March 2017 to study the growth and yield of lentil varieties as influenced by water management. The variety comprised of BARI Masur- 4, BARI Masur6 and BINA Masur-4 and water management system comprised of rainfed condition, irrigation at flowering stage, mulching with water hyacinth and mulching with straw. The experimental field was laid out in split plot design with three replications where water management system was in main plot and variety was in sub plot. Regarding growth, plant height (37.13 cm) and nodule number (31.78) were highest in mulching with water hyacinth. Regarding yield and yield contributing characters, the number of branches plant-1 , number of pods plant-1 , number of seeds pod-1 , seed and stover yield (t ha-1 ) were significantly influenced by water management system. The highest number of seed pod-1 was recorded in mulching with water hyacinth condition × BARI Masur- 6 (1.72) followed by BINA Masur- 4 × mulching water hyacinth condition (1.71). The highest seed yield (1.65 t ha-1 ) was recorded in mulching with water hyacinth × BARI Masur- 6. The lowest yield and yield contributing characters were recorded in rainfed condition in all varieties. Mulching with water hyacinth increases the seed yield up to 40%. Finally, it can be concluded that cultivation of BARI Masur- 6 mulching with water hyacinth may give the best of lentil in Brahmaputra Floodplain Soil.