Abstract
In order to evaluate drought tolerance indices of lentil cultivars in the Ardabil region, a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was arranged at the Agricultural Research Station of Islamic Azad University, Ardabil branch, Ardabil, Iran, in 2010. The factors included two conditions of planting levels (irrigation and non-irrigation) and five lentil cultivars (ILL 1180, ILL 1324, ILL 1251, ILL1237, and native cultivars). Irrigation included complete irrigation from planting until maturity and non-irrigation from seed emergence until harvesting. The results showed that the length of vegetative and reproductive periods, total number of pod and seed per plant, 100-seed weight, seed yield and harvest index were of higher rates under irrigation than the stress (non-irrigation). Also, it was found that ILL 1180 and ILL 1324 cultivars possessed the highest and lowest values for all traits, respectively. Yield loss of the ILL 1180 under stress, was about 308.22 kg/ha (23.31%) than the normal conditions. This value for the ILL 1324 was approximately 448.53 kg/ha (35.51%). Also, ILL 1180 showed the lowest tolerance against stress (TOL) and stress susceptibility index (SSI) and the highest mean productivity (MP), geometric mean productivity (GMP) and stress tolerance index (STI) indices. ILL 1324 possessed the highest TOL, SSI and STI and ILL1237 showed the lowest MP and GMP indices. So, ILL1180 and ILL1251 were the superior cultivars under both conditions in terms of high yield and tolerance against drought stress. ILL1237 was distinguished as the most susceptible cultivar as well. Key words: Lentil, yield, normal and stress conditions, drought tolerance index.
Highlights
Lentil is well adapted to the regions of precipitations lower than 400 mm, where the cultivation of wheat is common (Koochaki and Sarmavnia, 2002)
The results showed that the length of vegetative and reproductive periods, total number of pod and seed per plant, 100-seed weight, seed yield and harvest index were of higher rates under irrigation than the stress
ILL 1324 cv. was placed in the lowest group while, ILL 1180, ILL 1251 and the native cultivars significantly were placed in the highest group (Table 2)
Summary
Lentil is well adapted to the regions of precipitations lower than 400 mm, where the cultivation of wheat is common (Koochaki and Sarmavnia, 2002). Complementary irrigation enhances seed yield as the plant goes into the maturity stage (Amin et al, 2004). The lentil is of in-determinate growth, supplying available water may result in higher vegetative and reproductive growth periods and drought stress during the flowering stage which decreases this period (Kusmenglu and Muehlbauer, 1998). Water deficit highly influences seed yield components and causes reduced pods per plant, seeds per pod and 100-seed weight. Hudak and Patterson (1995) showed that irrigation during seed filling period, improves yield. In another work, it was reported that three times irrigations during seed filling period, increased the lentil yield (Eskine and Ashkar, 1993). Stress appearance during the reproductive stage, reduces seed weight (Katerji et al, 2000). Plant susceptibility to stress varies from germination to the maturity (Schmidtke et al, 2004)
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