Effect of soil phosphorus and foliar application of calcium-cum- magnesium on agro-qualitative traits of three cultivars of lentil (Lens culinaris Medic)

Two experiments were conducted. In the first experiment which is to study quantitative and qualitative response of three cultivars of lentil to phosphorus applications results shows that the emergence count was statistically the same among the cultivars as well as phosphorus levels with an average 92.77 to 93.52 m-2 of two years. The plant density at harvest was also statistically the similar among cultivars and phosphorus rates ranging from 88.47 to 89.35 m-2. Significant differences in plant height among the cultivars with the highest (36.24 cm) for Masoor-93 and the lowest (30.90 cm) for Masoor-local. There was a linear increase in plant height with each successive dose of phosphorus application from 25 to 75 kg ha-1, which on the average of two years varied from 30.45 cm to 36.26 cm among the different phosphorus levels. Among the cultivars although Masoor-93 produced significantly more number of branches plant-1 (5.25) than Masoor-local ( 4.63) but was on a par with Masoor-85 (5.10). Similarly though phosphorus application increased the number of branches plant-1 over check yet the differences within the phosphorus levels were non-significant. Though Masoor-85 took significantly more number of days to 50% flowering than Masoor-local in the 2nd year of experiment but the results were non-significant in the 1st year. By contrast, phosphorus application @ 50 kg ha-1 significantly reduced the number of days to 50% flowering. During the 1st year although Masoor-93 and Masoor-85 took significantly more number of days to maturity than Masoor-local but results were non-significant during the 2nd year. In both the years Masoor-93 and Masoor-85 produced significantly more number or pods plant-1 than Masoor-local. Similarly, phosphorus application @ 50 and 75 kg ha-1 being at par with each other improved the fruiting potential significantly over check and 25 kg P ha-1 treatment in both the years. Cultivar Masoor-93 and M asoor-85 being at par with each other produced significantly pore seeds pod-1 than Masoor-local while phosphorus application increased the number of seed pod-1 significantly over check. Weight per 1000 seeds was highest in Masoor-93 and the lowest in Masoor-local. Phosphorus application also increased the 1000-seed weight significantly over check. Masoor-93 produced significantly higher seed yield plant-1 than Masoor-85 which also differed significantly from Masoor-local producing on an average 1.31, 0.96 and 0.87 g, respectively. Although phosphorus application at different rates increased significantly the seed yield plant-1 over check but the difference between 50 kg and 75 kg P ha-1 treatments was non-significant. Both the dry biomass and seed yield ha-1 varied significantly among the cultivars. Masoor-93 in both years produced significantly the maximum dry biomass and seed yield ha-1, which over the two years average amounted to 2737.50 and 1163.12 kg ha-1, respectively against the minimum of 1956.25 and 773.12 kg ha-1 for Masoor-local. Similarly phosphorus application though increased the biomass and seed yield ha-1 significantly over check yet the yield levels were the same at 50 and 75 kg P ha-1 in both the years. Masoor-93 and Masoor-85 although showed significantly higher harvest index than Masoor-local but were on a par with each other. Phosphorus application at different rates also influenced the harvest index significantly over check. Seed protein concentration varied significantly among the cultivars with the maximum in Masoor-93 (25.36%). Phosphorus application, however, had no significant effect. All the cultivars did not differ significantly from one another ill respect of seed phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium content, while with Phosphorus only seed phosphorus content was increased significantly with the application of @ 50 and 75 kg ha-1. The seed phytic acid content did not change with cultivars but with phosphoru s application it increased with the maximum 177.45 mg/ 100 g) at 50 kg P ha-1. The cooking quality score was similar for all the cultivars (4.19- 4.50) but it has significant improvement with the application of phosphorus over check. Lentil cultivar Masoor-93 gave considerably high net income ha-1 (Rs. 22,446) than Masoor-local (Rs. 11,689) while Masoor-85 intermediated giving a net income of Rs. 13,959 ha-1. Similarly, the highest net income ha-1 (Rs.17,183) was recorded with the application of 75 kg P ha-1 against the minimum of Rs. 14,916 ha-1 in check. In the second experiment physicochemical characteristics of three cultivars of lentil in relation to nutrient management and cookability was studied. Emergence count and plant density m-2 at harvest did not vary significantly among the cultivars which on an average of two years varied from 90.78 to 91.25 and 86.02 to 86.52 m-2, respectively. Plant height differed among the cultivars with significantly the maximum (37.38 cm) in Masoor-93 and the minimum (32.90 cm) for Masoor-local. Masoor-93 and Masoor-85 being at par with each other produced significantly more number of branches plant-1 than Masoor-local shoving the corresponding values of 4.74, 4.59 and 4.23 branches plant-1. All cultivars tool statistically same number of days to 50% flowering in both years which on an average varied from 97.28 to 97.56 days. On the basis of two year average Masoor-93 and Masoor-85 although took significantly more number of days to maturity than Masoor-local but were at par with each other. However, the maturity period was not affected significantly by calcium-cum-magnesium. There were significant differences among the three cultivars for number of pods plant-1 with significantly the maximum (35.54) in Masoor-93 but these were not effected with calcium-cum-magnesium. The seeds pod- 1 did not vary significantly among the cultivars, but with foliar application of calcium- cum-magnesium with 200 mol m-3 increase d the seed pod-1 significantly. There was significant variation among the cultivars for 1000-seed weight with the highest (24.42 g) in Masoor-93 and the lowest (17.30 g) in Masoor-local. Foliar application of calcium cum magnesium @ 200 or 300 mol m-3 being at par with each other also increased 1000-seed weight significantly over check and 100 mol m-3 treatment. Seed yield plant-1 was highest in Masoor-93 followed by Masoor-85 and the lowest in Masoor- local with average 0.82 to 1.32 g among the three cultivars. Foliar application of calcium-cum-magnesium also increased the seed yield plant-1 significantly but application beyond 200 mol m-3 did not increase the seed yield plant-1 to a significant extent. Among the cultivars, Masoor-93 produced significantly higher dry biomass and seed yield ha-1 than rest of the two cultivars, which on an average varied from 1931.25 to 2787.50 and 713.31 to 1145.59 kg ha-1, respectively among the three cultivars. Although there was a progress i ve increase in dry biomass and seed yield ha- 1 with each successive dose of foliar application of calcium-cum-magnesium but the difference between 200 and 300 mol m-3 treatments was non-significant in both the years. Masoor-93 showed significantly higher harvest index than rest of the two cultivars, which on an average varied front 0.37 to 0.41 among the different cultivars. Seed protein concentration although varied significantly among the cultivars but it was affected with calcium-cum-magnesium. Seed phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium content were not affected both by the cultivars and calcium-cum-magnesium treatments. Seed phytic acid content although did not vary significantly among the cultivars but foliar application of calcium-cum-magnesium with 200 mol m-3 increased the seed phytic acid content. Cooking quality score was almost the same for all the cultivars but it decreased consistently with each successive rate of foliar application of calcium- cum-magne s ium thereby significant improvement in cooking quality. There was a high variation among the cultivars with regard to net field benefits ha-1 with the highest of Rs. 24,255 ha-1 for Masoor-93 and the minimum of Rs. 12,158 ha-1 for Masoor-local. Foliar application of calcium-cum-magnesium at different rates also increased the net income ha-1 over check with the maximum of Rs. 16,165 ha-1 at 300 mol m-3 against the minimum of Rs. 12,345 ha-1 in check.