Effect of seed density and weed control on yield and yield components of two lentil dryland-specific cultivars in subtropical conditions

Pulses، particularly lentil، as rich sources of protein for human and animal feeding، soil nitrogen fixation and having long roots suitable for increasing depth of cultivable soil and soil fertility، have major importance in dryland cereals rotation. This research was conducted to investigate the effect of seed density and weed control on yield and its components of two lentil dryland-specific cultivars in 2009-2010 growing season. The experiment was arranged in a split-split plot scheme with a RCB design in three replications with three factors viz. cultivar at two levels (cv. Mahalli and cv. Gachsaran)، weed control at two levels (control vs. non-control) and seed density at 4 levels (100، 150، 200 and 250 seeds per m2). Some important traits including pod number per plant، seed number per pod، thousand seed weight، grain yield and biological yield، were recorded during growing season. ANOVA results showed that cultivar''s effect was significant at 1% of probability level only on grain yield، thousand-seed weight and harvest index. Weed control effect was significant on biological yield and number of lateral branches. Seed density had significant effect on pod number per plant، number of lateral branches، biological yield، grain yield، and harvest index. Cultivar × weed control interaction was significant only for grain yield and، finally، tertiary interaction of cultivar × weed control × seed density was not significant on any of the studied traits. mean comparisons showed that improved cultivar Gachsaran، produced the highest yield when weeds were controlled and 250 seeds m-2 was applied. In the case of cv. Mahalli، weed control and sowing 250 seeds per m-2 resulted in higher yield.