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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Small Grain and Food Crops Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #402931
Research Project: Developing Accurate and Efficient Laboratory Methods for Testing End-use Qualities of Pulse Crops, Identify Factors Associated with End-use Quality, and Develop Processes to Add Value to Pulses

Location: Small Grain and Food Crops Quality Research

Title: Inoculant and fertilizer effects on lentil in the northern Great Plains

Author
item MILLER, PERRY - Montana State University
item ATENCIO, SYD - Montana State University
item JONES, CLAIN - Montana State University
item ERIKSMOEN, ERIC - North Dakota State University
item FRANCK, WILLIAM - Montana State University
item RICKERTSEN, JOHN - North Dakota State University
item FORDYCE, SIMON - Montana State University
item OSTLIE, MICHAEL - North Dakota State University
item LAMB, PEGGY - Montana State University
item Grusak, Michael
item CHEN, CHENGCI - Montana State University
item CARR, PATRICK - Montana State University
item BOURGAULT, MARYSE - University Of Saskatchewan
item KOESHALL, SAMUEL - Montana State University
item BABER, KALEB - Montana State University

Submitted to: Agronomy Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/6/2023
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Lentil is a nutrient dense pulse grain that can provide protein and mineral nutrients to consumers. Nutritional quality and overall yield of lentil is determined in part by the crop production practices; however, little is known about the effect of applied rhizobial inoculant or soil fertilizer on grain nutritional quality or yield. In this study, we grew lentils and provided rhizobial inoculants (which help to promote nitrogen fixation in roots) via soil application or seed coatings, or used soil nutrient additions of potassium (K), sulfur (S), or a mix of micronutrient minerals. Lentils were grown at various sites in the US northern Great Plains and were assessed for seed yield, seed protein concentration, and seed mineral concentrations. We found inconsistent increases in yield with inoculant, K fertilizer, or S fertilizer treatments, and inconsistent effects of these treatments on seed protein concentration. The micronutrient treatments had no apparent effect on yield or protein. Although the impact on yield or protein levels was limited, this research suggests that a better understanding of lentil's response to inoculants and fertilizer could lead to enhanced producer profitability and more nutritious food for consumers.

Technical Abstract: Lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) is an important crop, averaging more than 250,000 ha in MT and ND from 2016-21. However, relatively little is known about inoculant and fertility response in lentil in the U.S. northern Great Plains. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of rhizobial inoculant formulations (soil-applied and seed-coat) and nutrient additions (K, S, and micronutrients), on lentil yield and seed protein. This study was conducted at seven university research centers in Montana and North Dakota from 2019-21, resulting in 20 site-yr of data. Inoculant application increased seed yield by an average of 39% (344 kg ha-1) for 6 of 20 site-yr (P < 0.04) but had no consistent effect on seed protein concentration. Pulse crop history among sites was not highly explanatory to inoculant response. Inoculant formulations (seed coat vs soil applied) and K fertilizer had inconsistent effects on seed yield and protein. However, S fertilizer (5.6 kg S ha-1) increased seed yield for 4 of 20 site-yr (P < 0.02), by an average of 14.5% (255 kg ha-1) in those site-years and decreased seed yield for one site-year (P = 0.05) by 5.8% (153 kg ha-1). Pre-plant sulfate-S soil test levels were not predictive of lentil response to S fertilizer. Micronutrient application was measured for 12 site-yr but had no effect on lentil yield or protein. This research suggests a need to better understand what factors control lentil yield and protein response to rhizobial inoculant and S fertilization.