Effect of cobalt and sulphur nutrition on yield, quality and uptake of nutrients in lentil

A field experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2008-2010 at Bichpuri (Agra) to study the effect of cobalt and sulphur on growth, yield and uptake of nutrients in lentil. Treatments consisted of four levels of cobalt (0, 2, 4 and 8 kg ha-1) and four levels of sulphur (0, 10, 20 and 40 kg ha-1). The growth and yield attributes increased significantly up to 4 kg Co ha-1 over control, while increases in these were noted up to 20 kg S ha-1. Application of 4 kg Co ha-1 increased the grain and straw yield by 16.0 and 15.5% over control, respectively but 8 kg Co ha-1 decreased it. Yield of lentil increased linearly with increasing levels of S over control. The magnitude of increase in grain and straw yield was 26.7 and 28.3% due to 20 kg S ha-1 over control, respectively. The uptake of Co and S in grain and straw increased significantly with their respective application. Application of 20 kg S ha-1 increased Co uptake by the crop while S uptake increased with 2 kg Co ha-1 only by the crop. The uptake of N, P and K by the crop increased significantly up to 4 kg Co ha-1. Similarly S application up to 40 kg ha-1 increased significantly the uptake of N and K by the crop. Protein content in grain increased significantly with the addition of Co (8 kg ha-1) and sulphur (40 kg ha-1).