Effect of Levels of Nitrogen and Phosphorus on Growth, Yield and Economics of Lentil (Lens culinaris L.)

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out in Rabi (winter) season 2022-23 at Agronomy Research Farm of Chandra Bhanu Gupta Post Graduate College, Bakshi ka Talab, Lucknow (U.P). The treatments comprised of four nitrogen levels viz., 0, 15, 30 and 45 kg N ha-1 with four phosphorus levels viz., 0, 20, 40 and 60 kg P2O5 were tried in Factorial Randomized Block Design. The soil was silty-loam texture with slightly alkaline pH 8.1, organic carbon 0.70 %, available nitrogen 270.00 kg ha-1, available phosphorus 27.0 kg ha-1, and available potash 262.0 kg ha-1 during 2022- 2023. The rainfall received during the crop period was 0.00 and 0.02 mm, respectively. The relative humidity was recorded maximum during month of December study while, the sunshine ranged from 2.3 to 9.1 during crop period. Increasing levels of nitrogen and phosphorus significantly increased most of the growth and yield attributing characters viz., plant height, number of branches, dry matter accumulation and yield attributes viz., number of pods plant-1, number of grains pod-1, grain weight and test weight were significantly higher with 45 kg N ha-1 and 60 kg P2O5 ha-1 and superior to other doses of nitrogen and phosphorus. Yield studies viz., Grain yield, straw yield and biological yield were significantly higher with 45 kg N ha-1 and 60 kg P2O5 ha-1 and superior to other doses of nitrogen and phosphorus. The N and P content % and uptake increased with increasing levels of nitrogen and phosphorus. The highest nutrient content and uptake were recorded with 45 kg N ha-1 with 60 kg P2O5 ha-1. Economics analysis viz., gross return, net return and benefit cost ratio was recorded highest with 45 kg N ha-1 + 60 kg P2O5 while lowest with control. Thus for obtaining better yield and profit apply 45 kg N ha-1 in combination with 60 kg P2O5 ha-1 for lentil.