Lentil Variation in Phenology and Yield Evaluated with a Model

Abstract

Lentil (L ens culinaris Medik.) is a major crop highly valued in the food and nutritional security of millions of people, as well as a rotation crop. Lentil is grown in areas facing many environmental constraints from low moisture availability and high temperatures, to winter cold at high elevations. The use of an appropriate and robust crop model can offer mechanistic bases for exploring and extrapolating the impact of a given plant trait or crop management across a range of environments. Here we report the use of the generic SSM-Legumes model to develop a simple and transparent lentil model. First, we show that the SSM-Legumes model has a robust predictive capability to assess variation in phenological development and yield of lentil in three locations in the Middle East (Lebanon and Syria) with large differences in rainfall. The agreement between simulated and observed days to flowering or maturity and yield showed the robustness of the model in predicting lentil growth and yield. Second, we report the 31 incorporation, into SSM-legumes, of a submodel allowing a more realistic accounting of crop survival at very low soil water content, resulting in more realistic predictions of lentil growth and yield. Third, we report using the model in testing the potential for increasing lentil yields by the retention of crop residue on the soil surface to decrease soil evaporation. Results showed yield increases of up to 25% in all three locations from retention of previous crop residues.

Lentil Variation in Phenology and Yield Evaluated with a Model. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/278037340_Lentil_Variation_in_Phenology_and_Yield_Evaluated_with_a_Model [accessed Apr 13, 2017].