Effect of Tillage Practices and Seed Rates on the Yield of Bold Seeded Lentil and Properties of Soil

A field experiment was conducted on sandy loam soil of Norman E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre of G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar during the winter seasons of 2004–05 and 2005–06. Results revealed that tillage practices affected the yield attributes viz. number of pods/plant, grains/pod, 1000-grain weight and consequently grain yield significantly during both the years. On an average conventional and reduced tillage recorded 27.03 and 24.6% increased yield over zero tillage, respectively. Tillage intensity significantly increased hydraulic conductivity and decreased bulk density of soil during both the year while electric conductivity was significantly affected in first year. A seed rate of 30 kg/ha recorded higher values of yield attributes though the maximum yield was recorded with higher seed rates of 60 kg/ha. Increasing seed rate recorded an increase in hydraulic conductivity during both the year. A lower seed rate of 30and 40 kg/ha recorded significantly more values of electric conductivity and bulk density.