Effect of Foliar Nutrient Application on Growth, Yield and Profitability of Lentil (Lens culinaris M.) under Rainfed Conditions

A field experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Research Farm of Ravindra Nath Tagore University of Agriculture, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (India), to study the effect of nutrient management through foliar application of nutrients in lentil (Lens culinaris M.) under rainfed conditions. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with six treatments and four replications to minimize soil heterogeneity. The experimental field was divided into four blocks, each comprising six unit plots, resulting in a total of 24 plots. Various growth parameters such as plant height (37.70 cm), number of branches per plant (16.25), dry weight (8.65 g), number of root nodules per plant (17.00) and weight of root nodules were recorded maximum under the application of 2% urea. Yield attributes including number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, seed index, seed yield, straw yield, net returns, and benefit–cost ratio were also assessed. The results revealed that foliar application of 2% urea significantly enhanced growth and yield parameters and outperformed all other treatments at all growth stages. The highest grain yield (1736 kg ha-1) of lentil cultivar RVL 13-7 was recorded with the application of 2% urea under Vertisol conditions of Madhya Pradesh. Although foliar application of 2% DAP and Jeevamrut improved crop performance, their effects were comparatively lower, while water spray and control treatments recorded the lowest values. Despite reports on the positive effects of foliar nutrition in pulse crops, information on the relative performance of different inorganic nutrient sprays and organic liquid formulations in lentil under rainfed Vertisol conditions is limited. Moreover, comprehensive studies linking crop growth, yield and economic returns under such moisture-stressed environments are scarce.