Lentil

Lens culinaris
Origin and distribution
• Lens the Latin word referred to the shape of the
seed
• Known as Masur in India
• Oldest crop dates back to agriculture
• Grown in Egypt in prehistoric times and origin as well
• Spread to S. Europe, W. Asia, India, China
• Major producing countries are Turkey, India, Canada
and USA
• Duration of 70 – 100 days
Importance
• In India as flour, dal (boiled, smashed in to soup),
several snacks and sweets
• Rich source of Calcium, phosphorous and iron
• Protein 24-26%
• Also rich in vitamin C and riboflavin
• Fourth important pulse in the world
• India 40% of world production
• Consumes as dry seed as whole, decorticated and
split
• Flour is used in many preparation
• Wide range of fiber, vitamins, minerals and contain
antioxidants
Area production

• Globally 5% of pulses with 3.3 million ha and 2.9

million t of production
• Predominantly grown in Asia (80%)
• Also grown in N & E Africa, N-C America, S.
Europe
• World – 2 Mha and 2.5 Mt , 80% area in Asia
• Canada leading production of 40 % of world
• In India, U.P ranks first in area and production,
followed by M.P and Bihar
Types

• Broadly classified as micro sperma and macro

sperma
• Micro sperma are predominantly cultivated in
India
• Macro sperma are large sized grains cultivated
in Mediterranean region
Varieties

• Pant L 406, 639, Pant L 4

• DPL 15 and DPL 62.

Climate

• Requires very cool climate and cultivated in winter season.

• Tolerate severe winter and frost condition also.
• Cannot comes up well in hot tropics
• Long day plant grown from plains to 3500 MSL
• Optimum temperature for growth and development is 15 –
200C
• Temperature of 100 C delays germination
Soil
• The suitable soil types are alluvial are black
cotton soils with good drainage
• Tolerate mild acidity to alkalinity pH 4.5 to 8.2
• Cannot tolerate water logging
Season

• Lentil is grown as second crop after rice.

• The seeds are also sown broadcast in standing
rice crop without any field preparation.
Tillage, seeds and sowing

• One ploughing followed by 2 – 3 harrowing

• Seeds broadcasted or dibbled
• The seeds are sown in lines at 20 -30 cm apart
using 30 - 50kg seed/ha.
• Relayed cropped after rice
• Depth of sowing of  4 – 5 cm is not ideal
• Late sowing requires higher seed rate of 80
kg/ha with a spacing of 20 x 10 cm
Fertilizer management
• The crop may be grown on residual fertility.
• Crop yielding 2 t/ha removes 100 kg N, 30 kg P and 80
kg K
• Application of 20 kg N and 40 kg P2O5 per hectare gives
better yield.
• Fertilizer are either placed as 8 – 10 cm depth of 5 cm
away in sides
• P is applied for three reasons
– Growth and proliferation of roots to extract moisture from
deeper layers
– Reduce transpirational ratio
– Increase supply to P to soluble P under moisture stress
conditions
• Susceptible to Zn deficiency – 0.5 % foliar spray
Water management

• Normally not irrigated

• If there is no winter rain one or two light irrigation

at flowering and grain filling stages are given.
Weed management

• Poor competitor to weeds due to slow initial growth

• 45 – 60 DAS is critical period for crop weed

competition
Yield and quality

• High saponin content thus has the capacity to

reduce cholesterol in blood
• Contains raffinose which generates as – flatulence

• Spouting reduces raffinose to safer limits

• Recommended for diabetes due to good dietary

fibre
• Grown as green manure crop in Kashmir
Yield

• 8 – 9 quintals/ha under rainfed

• 8-20 quintals/ha under irrigated condition