Statewide Evaluation of Lentil Variety Performance (Montana Statewide Lentil Performance Trial) (2002)

Abstract

This report evaluates the performance of lentil varieties under different climatic and cropping conditions across Montana. Drought-like conditions persisted into the 2002 cropping year across much of Montana. At the Moccasin site, crop-year precipitation (April through July) was 86% of normal, which received 1.14 inches below the normal growing season precipitation. Selected lentil entries’ grain yields, which were involved in the Statewide Lentil Performance Trial for three or more years since 1998, were summarized (Table 10). Since 1998, CDC Milestone, a small green lentil (Eston-type), had the most lentil grain production, with an average of 1,431 pounds per acre (23.9 bu/acre), but was only significantly greater than Laird, French Green, Crimson and Indianhead lentils. Overall, lentil yields at Moccasin have averaged just over 1,200 pounds per acre (20 bu/acre), between 1998 and 2002. When yields were compared with Laird large green lentil (an industry standard), only CDC Milestone had consistently better yields than Laird (125% of Laird, which is greater than the LSD(0.05) of 20%).