Lodging in Lentil as Affected by Plant Population, Soil Moisture and Genotype

Abstract

The effects of levels of soil moisture and plant population on lodging and associated losses from mechanical harvesting of two lentil genotypes, one susceptible and one resistant to lodging, were investigated during 1986–87 and 1987–88 at Tel Hadya in northern Syria. High plant population increased lodging because the crowded plants had thin stems, while high levels of soil moisture caused lodging because biological yield was increased. When biological yields were high a two tonne increase in biological yield led to a one point increase in lodging score. Mechanical harvesting increased losses in biological yield due to lodging by 12% compared with yields obtained by hand harvesting under rainfed conditions and by 24% at the highest level ofsoil moisture. It is suggested that supplementary irrigation should be used in dry seasons in trials to select genotypes resistant to lodging.