Response of Biofertilizers and Foliar Application of Zinc on Yield and Economics of Lentil (Lens culinaris, Fabaceae)

During the Rabi season of 2022, with the objective to establish the effect of biofertilizers and foliar application of zinc on growth and yield of Lens culinaris a field trial was carried out at the Crop Experimental Farm, Division of Agronomy, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India. The trial included two variables with three levels of zinc (0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75%) and biofertilizer (Rhizobium spp., Pseudomonas fluorescens, Rhizobium spp. + Pseudomonas fluorescens). The texture of the soil is sandy loam with 7.2 pH, 0.72% organic carbon, 178.48 kg/ha of available N, 27.80 kg/ha of available P, and 233.24 kg/ha of available K. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design with ten treatments and replicated three times. Zinc application and the use of biofertilizers had a big impact on the economics, yield attributes and yield. The outcome showed that treatment eight, Rhizobium spp.+ Pseudomonas fluorescens and foliar spray of zinc at 0.50% recorded maximum number of pods/plant (111.33), number of seeds per pod (2.27), seed yield (1530,94 kg/ha) and stover yield (3020.00 kg/ha). Maximum gross returns (91,856.58 INR/ha), net returns (61,406.58 INR/ha) and benefit-cost ratio (2.02). In conclusion the best combination to get maximum economics and yield attributes in Lens culinaris using the trial of fertilization performed was Rhizobium + Pseudomonas fluorescens + Zn (0.50%).