The effects of soil and foliage applications of Fe and Zn on Yield and seed microelement contents in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)

The objectives of this research were to investigate the effects of soil and foliage applications of iron and zinc sulfades on yield and seed microelement contents in lentils, and to determine an efficient evaluation technique for screening large number of lentil genotypes. The experiments were carried out in an experimental area in the Faculty of Agriculture at Dicle University, in Diyarbakır, Turkey, during the years of 2012-2013 and 2013-2014. The experimental designs were randomized complete block with split-plot organization and had three replications. The microelement doses were located in main plots and lentil varieties in sub plots within main plots. Iron and zinc analysis of the seed samples were conducted in the related laboratories of the Soil Science and Plant Nutrition Department in the Faculty of Agriculture at Agean University, in İzmir. Various doses of iron and zinc sulphades were applied to soil and foliages of three red lentil varieties (Şakar, Fırat 87 and Çağıl). Based on the results of the first year experiments, there was no any positive effects of soil applications of iron and zinc sulphade on yield and seed microelement contents. Soil microelement applications significantly reduced these characters when compared to controls. However, in foliage applications, yield and seed microelement contents became significantly higher than the controls. Foliageapplication of 0.37% iron sulphade resulted in significant increases in biological yield, seed yield and Fe content in the seeds. But, foliage application of zinc sulphade did not cause any significant effect yield although seed yield was higher than control in 0.66% dose level. Mean zinc contents of seeds did not differ much from each other although it was slightly higher in 0.66% than the others doses. As a results of these findings, using foliar applicacation of 0.30% iron and zinc sulfade was selected as an efficient screening technique for various lentil genotypes. In 2013-2014, this technique was used to evaluate other six varieties (Yerli Kırmızı, Tigris, Kafkas, Seyran-96, Özbek and Çiftçi). There was great variation among six lentil cultivars for yield and seed microelement content.