Relationship between the yield of seed and straw in lentil

Abstract

The relationship between lentil seed and straw yield was studied firstly in a world germplasm collection of 3586 accessions grown at one location, and secondly amongst 24 cultivars grown in three rainfed sites. The mean yields of seed and straw of the germplasm were 1287 and 2932 kg/ha, respectively. The twenty best straw producing accessions had an average biological yield of 9123 kg/ha. The phenotypic correlations between seed and straw yields were positive and significant at r = 0.526 and r = 0.339 for the microsperma and macrosperma accessions, respectively. The mean seed and straw yields across locations were 1222 and 3166 kg/ha, respectively. The harvest index varied from 0.19 to 0.41 over the locations. The genetic correlation between seed and straw yields was r = 0.755. It was concluded that continued selection for increased seed yield would not adversely affect straw yield, and that selection for a high straw yield could result in cultivars suited for forage production.