فیزیولوژی محیطی گیاهی (Mar 2017)
Effect of foliar application of iron on yield, yield component, and grain protein of lentil crop
Abstract
This research was carried out during the growing seasons of 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 at Agricultural Research Station, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tehran in Karaj. The aim was to evaluate the effect of iron foliar application on yield, yield components, and protein content of lentil under rain-fed conditions. A randomized complete block design with three replications and seven treatments (non-foliar application (control), 2 (g L-1) foliar application of nano fertilizer at flowering, podding and flowering + podding stages and 4 (g L-1) foliar application of nano fertilizer at flowering, podding and flowering + podding stages) were used. Analysis of variance showed that the effects of iron foliar spraying on grain yield components, biological and grain yield, harvest index, grain iron and protein content, and grain protein yield were significant. However, the effect of year of plantation was not significant on these properties. Comparison of means showed that maximum values for the number of grain per plant, 1000-seed weight and grain yield and grain protein yield, and grain iron and protein were achieved at 4 (g L-1) foliar application of nano fertilizer at flowering + podding stage treatment. However, there was no significant difference for grain yield and grain protein yield between 4 (g L-1) and 2 (g L-1) foliar application of nano fertilizer at flowering + podding stage treatments. Therefore, foliar application of nano-iron chelate at flowering + podding stages can produce the highest agronomic indices and grain yield. Alpha
