Lentil — Package of Practices
A hardy cool-season rabi pulse that fixes nitrogen and thrives on stored moisture — sow on time, keep it lean, and guard against wilt and rust.
Overview
Lentil (masoor) is a hardy cool-season rabi pulse grown for its quick-cooking, protein-rich seed. It fixes nitrogen and does well on stored soil moisture.
Timely sowing, light nutrition and protection against wilt and rust are the keys to a clean, even crop.
Climate & season
Lentil grows in cool, dry weather (about 18–30 °C) and tolerates cold well.
- A rabi crop sown as temperatures fall.
- Thrives on conserved soil moisture.
- Sensitive to waterlogging and to heat at pod-fill.
Soil & land preparation
Best on a well-drained loam to clay loam at pH 6.0–8.0.
- Prepare a moisture-conserving seedbed.
- Mix in 8–10 t/ha farmyard manure.
- Avoid waterlogging.
Choosing a type & seed
Choose small-seeded or bold-seeded types to suit the market. No specific cultivar is named here.
Seed rate
- Small-seeded: 30–40 kg/ha.
- Bold-seeded: 45–60 kg/ha.
- Sow 4–6 cm deep.
Seed treatment
- Treat with a recommended fungicide, then a Rhizobium culture.
- Protects seedlings and aids nodulation.
Sowing & spacing
- Sow on time as the season cools, into moist soil.
- Keep rows 25–30 cm apart.
- Space plants 5–10 cm within the row.
- Sow 4–6 cm deep to reach stored moisture.
- Aim for an even, dense stand to smother weeds.
Nutrient management
As a legume the crop fixes much of its own nitrogen, so heavy nitrogen is wasteful; give only a light starter dose with good phosphorus. A Rhizobium seed treatment improves fixation.
| Input | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Farmyard manure | 8–10 t/ha | Basal |
| Nitrogen (N) | 20 kg/ha | Light starter only |
| Phosphorus (P₂O₅) key | 40 kg/ha | Roots, nodules & pods |
| Sulphur | Apply if deficient | Improves seed filling |
Water management
Largely grown on stored moisture; one or two light irrigations help where available.
- Safe stages to irrigate are pre-flowering and pod-fill.
- Avoid heavy or late irrigation.
- Excess moisture brings wilt and root rots.
Weed management
- Give one or two weedings in the first 30–45 days.
- A recommended pre-emergence herbicide helps on weedy fields.
- An even, dense crop suppresses later weeds.
Plant protection
| Problem | Type | Watch for | Manage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilt | Disease | Wilting, browning of the vascular tissue | Resistant types, rotation, bio-agent seed treatment |
| Rust | Disease | Brown pustules on leaves and stems | Resistant types, timely sowing, recommended fungicide |
| Ascochyta blight / root rots | Disease | Spots, seedling death in wet spells | Clean seed, good drainage |
| Pod borer | Pest | Holed pods, caterpillar inside | Monitor from flowering, Bt or recommended insecticide at threshold |
| Aphids | Pest | Colonies on shoots; honeydew | Conserve natural enemies; spray only if needed |
- Sow treated seed of a wilt- and rust-tolerant type on time.
- Rotate away from other pulses and ensure drainage.
- Scout from flowering and manage rust early.
- Spray only when needed, following the label.
Use crop-protection inputs responsibly
Read the label, use the recommended dose, wear protective gear while spraying, and strictly observe the pre-harvest (waiting) interval before picking — on crops harvested repeatedly this matters at every picking. Prefer cultural and biological methods first and spray only when monitoring shows it is needed.
Harvesting & yield
Harvest when plants dry and pods mature, generally 100–120 days.
- Cut, dry, thresh and clean the seed.
- Yields of about 1.0–1.5 t/ha are achievable.
Related crops
Lentil — Package of Practices
A hardy cool-season rabi pulse that fixes nitrogen and thrives on stored moisture — sow on time, keep it lean, and guard against wilt and rust.
Overview
Lentil (masoor) is a hardy cool-season rabi pulse grown for its quick-cooking, protein-rich seed. It fixes nitrogen and does well on stored soil moisture.
Timely sowing, light nutrition and protection against wilt and rust are the keys to a clean, even crop.
Climate & season
Lentil grows in cool, dry weather (about 18–30 °C) and tolerates cold well.
- A rabi crop sown as temperatures fall.
- Thrives on conserved soil moisture.
- Sensitive to waterlogging and to heat at pod-fill.
Soil & land preparation
Best on a well-drained loam to clay loam at pH 6.0–8.0.
- Prepare a moisture-conserving seedbed.
- Mix in 8–10 t/ha farmyard manure.
- Avoid waterlogging.
Choosing a type & seed
Choose small-seeded or bold-seeded types to suit the market. No specific cultivar is named here.
Seed rate
- Small-seeded: 30–40 kg/ha.
- Bold-seeded: 45–60 kg/ha.
- Sow 4–6 cm deep.
Seed treatment
- Treat with a recommended fungicide, then a Rhizobium culture.
- Protects seedlings and aids nodulation.
Sowing & spacing
- Sow on time as the season cools, into moist soil.
- Keep rows 25–30 cm apart.
- Space plants 5–10 cm within the row.
- Sow 4–6 cm deep to reach stored moisture.
- Aim for an even, dense stand to smother weeds.
Nutrient management
As a legume the crop fixes much of its own nitrogen, so heavy nitrogen is wasteful; give only a light starter dose with good phosphorus. A Rhizobium seed treatment improves fixation.
| Input | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Farmyard manure | 8–10 t/ha | Basal |
| Nitrogen (N) | 20 kg/ha | Light starter only |
| Phosphorus (P₂O₅) key | 40 kg/ha | Roots, nodules & pods |
| Sulphur | Apply if deficient | Improves seed filling |
Water management
Largely grown on stored moisture; one or two light irrigations help where available.
- Safe stages to irrigate are pre-flowering and pod-fill.
- Avoid heavy or late irrigation.
- Excess moisture brings wilt and root rots.
Weed management
- Give one or two weedings in the first 30–45 days.
- A recommended pre-emergence herbicide helps on weedy fields.
- An even, dense crop suppresses later weeds.
Plant protection
| Problem | Type | Watch for | Manage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilt | Disease | Wilting, browning of the vascular tissue | Resistant types, rotation, bio-agent seed treatment |
| Rust | Disease | Brown pustules on leaves and stems | Resistant types, timely sowing, recommended fungicide |
| Ascochyta blight / root rots | Disease | Spots, seedling death in wet spells | Clean seed, good drainage |
| Pod borer | Pest | Holed pods, caterpillar inside | Monitor from flowering, Bt or recommended insecticide at threshold |
| Aphids | Pest | Colonies on shoots; honeydew | Conserve natural enemies; spray only if needed |
- Sow treated seed of a wilt- and rust-tolerant type on time.
- Rotate away from other pulses and ensure drainage.
- Scout from flowering and manage rust early.
- Spray only when needed, following the label.
Use crop-protection inputs responsibly
Read the label, use the recommended dose, wear protective gear while spraying, and strictly observe the pre-harvest (waiting) interval before picking — on crops harvested repeatedly this matters at every picking. Prefer cultural and biological methods first and spray only when monitoring shows it is needed.
Harvesting & yield
Harvest when plants dry and pods mature, generally 100–120 days.
- Cut, dry, thresh and clean the seed.
- Yields of about 1.0–1.5 t/ha are achievable.