Selection of resistance and sensitive cultivars of lentil in Ardabil region of Iran under irrigation and nonirrigation conditions

In order to evaluate drought tolerance indices of lentil cultivars in the Ardabil region, a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was arranged at the Agricultural Research Station of Islamic Azad University, Ardabil branch, Ardabil, Iran, in 2010. The factors included two conditions of planting levels (irrigation and non-irrigation) and five lentil cultivars (ILL 1180, ILL 1324, ILL 1251, ILL1237, and native cultivars). Irrigation included complete irrigation from planting until maturity and non-irrigation from seed emergence until harvesting. The results showed that the length of vegetative and reproductive periods, total number of pod and seed per plant, 100-seed weight, seed yield and harvest index were of higher rates under irrigation than the stress (nonirrigation). Also, it was found that ILL 1180 and ILL 1324 cultivars possessed the highest and lowest values for all traits, respectively. Yield loss of the ILL 1180 under stress, was about 308.22 kg/ha (23.31%) than the normal conditions. This value for the ILL 1324 was approximately 448.53 kg/ha (35.51%). Also, ILL 1180 showed the lowest tolerance against stress (TOL) and stress susceptibility index (SSI) and the highest mean productivity (MP), geometric mean productivity (GMP) and stress tolerance index (STI) indices. ILL 1324 possessed the highest TOL, SSI and STI and ILL1237 showed the lowest MP and GMP indices. So, ILL1180 and ILL1251 were the superior cultivars under both conditions in terms of high yield and tolerance against drought stress. ILL1237 was distinguished as the most susceptible cultivar as well.Key words: Lentil, yield, normal and stress conditions, drought tolerance index