The lentil plant is an annual, with slender stems and many branches, 15–60 cm
tall, with small pale mauve, blue, pink or white flowers 6–8 mm long. The pods are
small, about 3–9 mm across and no longer than 1.3cm in modern varieties. The pods
contain 1–3 (normally 2) seeds which vary in colour from yellow, green, orange, red
or grey to dark brown, sometimes mottled or speckled.
Grain protein content ranges from 22 to 35%, but the nutritional value is low
because lentil is deficient in the amino acids methionine and cystine. Lentil is an
excellent supplement to cereal grain diets because of its good protein/carbohydrate
content, used in soups, stews, casseroles and salad dishes. Sometimes difficult to
cook because of the hard seed coat that results from excessively dry production
conditions.
Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) in Syria is developing tall
upright lentil varieties adapted to mechanical harvesting
The genus Lens is closely related to the Lathyrus and Vicia genera, and from a
farmer’s point of view lentils can be propagated and cared for as if they were field or
garden peas (Pisum sativum)—except that, in general, lentils tolerate higher
temperatures and drier soil than peas. The plants should be protected from wind
whenever possible.
Lentils can be classified into two main groups:
- sub-species macrosperma—large-seeded varieties, with seeds 6–9 mm in
diameter. Grown mainly in Africa, Asia Minor and the Mediterranean. - sub-species microsperma—small-seeded varieties, with seeds 3–6 mm in
diameter. Grown mainly in southwestern and western Asia.
PLANTING
Propagation: by seed, which is 2–7mm diameter. 15,600–100,000 seeds per pound.
Usually self-pollinated, though some cross-pollination can occur.
Soil: lentils can thrive on fairly poor dry soil, but they prefer well-drained light to
medium soils; they do not tolerate waterlogging. Moderately tolerant of salinity and
acidity. Molybdenum is essential, and can be applied as molybdated gypsum at
about 50–60 kg/ha or as a foliar spray.
Seed rate: when intercropped 10 or 15 kg/ha is enough. As a pure stand anywhere
- Spacing: 15–30 cm between plants, 60–90 cm between rows. Sometimes planted in
an almost square grid approximately 22 × 30 cm.
Depth: 1–6.5 cm according to seed size, soil type and moisture at planting.
planting (within 24 hours).
pulled up and hung to dry, then threshed when required. The International Centre for
(18 20,000 seeds/kg).
from 25 to 90 kg/ha or more are needed. 100 of the larger seeds weigh about 2g
Inoculation: seed should be inoculated with Rhizobium leguminosarum just prior to
172 TONY WINCH
In unmechanized (“”traditional ) farming systems the entire plants are normally