B. Lal et al., EFFECT OF SOIL-MOISTURE REGIME, KAOLIN SPRAY AND PHOSPHORUS-FERTILIZER ON NODULATION, P-UPTAKE AND WATER-USE OF LENTIL (LENS-CULINARIS), Indian Journal of Agronomy, 39(2), 1994, pp. 241-245
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.