Growth and Yield of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) under Different Sowing Dates and Tillage Systems

An experiment was carried out during Rabi season 2007-08 at Khalsa college Research Farm, Amritsar (Punjab) to study the effect of different sowing dates and tillage systems on growth and yield of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.). Sowing dates for lentil were 15^th October, 30^th October, 14^th November and 30^th November. Tillage systems were no tillage (Crop sown directly without ploughing), minimum tillage (Crop sown with one ploughing followed by planking) and conventional tillage (Crop sown with three ploughings followed by planking). Sowing on 30^th October was found to increase growth parameters as dry matter production (6.89%, 17.72%, 33.81%), plant height(2.13%, 6.75%, 11.86%), branches/plant (6.20%, 25.46%, 64%) and yield(14.09%, 44.10%, 189.73%) on 15^th October, 14^th November and 30^th November. Tillage also had significant influence on growth parameters and yield. Conventional tillage has increased dry matter production (6.70% and 13.63%), plant height (1.55% and 4.79%), branches/plant (3.77% and 6.54%) and yield (8.09% and 30.65%) over minimum tillage and no tillage. The highest yield was recorded with the treatment that received conventional tillage.