The most critical growth stage for moisture stress in lentil
Show Hint
In most pulse crops (such as lentil, chickpea, and pea), the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth—specifically flower bud initiation—is the most critical stage for irrigation.
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Lentil (Lens culinaris) is a rabi pulse crop primarily grown on residual soil moisture.
While lentils are relatively drought-tolerant, they have specific critical growth stages where moisture stress can severely reduce crop yields. Detailed Explanation:
The critical growth stages for moisture stress in lentils are:
- Flower Bud Initiation (Pre-flowering): This is the most critical stage for moisture availability.
Water stress at this stage restricts flower development, causes flowers to drop, and reduces the overall number of pods the plant can produce.
- Pod Formation Pod Development: This is the second most critical stage.
Moisture stress during pod development reduces the number of seeds per pod and leads to smaller, shriveled seeds.
- If water is available for only one irrigation, it should be applied at the flower bud initiation stage (typically 40 to 45 days after sowing) to maximize yield.
- If water is available for a second irrigation, it should be applied at the pod formation stage. Step 2: Final Answer:
The most critical growth stage for moisture stress in lentils is flower bud initiation.
