Yield and yield components of lentil (Lens culinaris Medick.) affected by drought stress and mulch

ABSTRACT: In order to investigate the effect of different drought stress treatments and straw mulch on yield and yield components of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.), an experiment was carried out as split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications at the Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Iran in 2012. The drought stress treatments (I1, I2, I3 and I4: irrigation after 40, 70, 100 and 130 mm evaporation from class A pan, respectively) were assigned to the main plots and two mulch levels (M1 and M2: 0 and 2 ton/ha wheat straw) were allocated to the sub plots. The results of this study showed that among drought stress treatments, the greatest plant height, number of branch per plant, pods per plant, grains per pod, grains per plant, 100 grains weight and grain yield was observed at I1 treatment. Results also showed that lentils that received 2 ton/ha mulch in per sub plot produced the highest amount of all traits. In addition, regarding to the interaction effects between drought stress treatments and straw mulch, it could be concluded that irrigation of lentil after 70 mm evaporation from class a pan and application of 2 ton/ha mulch is the best combination for lentil production.