Comparaison de lignées avancées de lentille sous stress hydrique durant la phase de floraison et formation des gousses

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus Subsp. culinaris) is grown as a rain-fed crop in Morocco mainly in moisture- deficient soils. Drought tolerance as well as high and stable seed yield are among the important traits of lentil cultivars preferred by Moroccan farmers. In order to determine terminal drought tolerance of some advanced lentil genotypes, an experiment was conducted in a greenhouse. The lines were planted in plastic pots (20 cm diameter and 40 cm height) in a randomized complete block with four replications and two treatments: well watered (applied 600 ml of water, three times per week) and water stressed condition (applied 180 ml of water, once a week). The results revealed that, for all the genotypes tested, drought stress reduced seed yield, seed weight, harvest index, total biomass and pod filling period by accelerating the maturity. Among the genotypes tested, the genotype F87-9 was the most susceptible. On the other hand the genotype F2003-7 was the most drought tolerant genotype because of its short cycle, a long pod filling period and less affected by water stress. This genotype was also characterized by a high harvest index, well developed root architecture (higher number of lateral roots and root length) and the capacity to maintain high leaf relative water content. Two other genotypes namely F00-24 and L8PS05-5-7 showed moderate level of drought tolerance characteristics. The susceptible genotype F87-9 had the lowest leaf relative water content