EFFECT OF SOIL-MOISTURE REGIME, KAOLIN SPRAY AND PHOSPHORUS-FERTILIZER ON NODULATION, P-UPTAKE AND WATER-USE OF LENTIL (LENS-CULINARIS)

A field experiment was conducted with lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) during the winter seasons of 1987-88 and 1988-89 on a sandy-loam soil at New Delhi, to study the effect of soil-moisture regime, kaolin spra y and phosphorus fertilizer on nodulation, Puptake and water use. Irri gation, either alone or coupled with 6% kaolin spray, increased the nu mber and dry weight of nodules, P uptake, leaf area/plant and relative water content of leaves. The consumptive use of water was maximum wit h 2 irrigations applied 45 and 80 days after sowing in both years. Dur ing 1988-89, however, P uptake was highest with kaolin spray 45 days a fter sowing + 1 irrigation at 80 days after sowing. Kaolin spray twice at 45 and 80 days after sowing failed to improve nodulation, P uptake , leaf area/plant, relative water content of leaves and water use, but caused maximum increase in water-use efficiency in both the years. Ap plication of P improved the nodulation, P uptake, leaf area/plant, con sumptive use of water and water-use efficiency with no marked differen ce between 40 and 80 kg P2O5/ha.