Effect of Iron and Urea Application on Iron Biofortification of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)

ABSTRACT

Agronomic biofortification with iron (Fe) may be a viable approach to combat the widespread deficiency of Fe in humans. Thus, the present study was conducted to examine the effect of Fe and urea foliar application on Fe biofortification in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.). The field experiments were conducted at two locations viz. Ludhiana and Faridkot, India. Different treatment combinations of foliar spray of sole Fe (0.5% of FeSO₄.7 H₂O), sole urea (2% urea), and combined application of Fe and urea at flowering, pod formation, and flowering + pod formation stages along with unsprayed control were applied to lentil. The results of the study revealed that the combined foliar application of Fe and urea at flowering + pod formation stages was the most effective in enhancing grain yield, Fe and zinc (Zn) concentration in plants (at flowering as well as pod formation stage), stover and grain (whole and split). The highest Fe concentration in whole (36% higher over control) as well as split (32.9% higher over control) grain and protein content (21% higher over control) was obtained with foliar application of Fe + urea at flowering + pod formation stages. Conclusively, the combined foliar application of 0.5% FeSO₄.7 H₂O and 2% urea at flowering + pod formation stages may prove to be a feasible option for increasing grain yield and enrichment of lentils with Fe and Zn to combat micronutrient malnutrition in human populations.

KEYWORDS:

• Biofortification
• Grain yield
• Iron concentration
• Lentil
• Nitrogen
• Protein content

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India, for providing necessary facilities during the research work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2023.2254330

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India.