ChileanJAR

Lodging is a common phenomenon in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) particularly in highly productive environments, and has been shown to reduce yield on artilicially induced lodging studies. To cuantify its effect under natural conditions, plants maintained in upright pasition ta prevent lodging were comparad with undisturbed ones at three densities (44, 66 and 88 plants/m²). The study was conducted in two environments of contrasting productivity ofthe IX Región, Chile, during the 1986/87, 1987/88 and 1988/ 89 seasons. The density x lodging treatments interaction was nol significant for sead yield and any other parameter in both environments. The crop experienced lodging in the less productiva environment only when biomass exceded 4ton/ha (1986/87); it occurred close to R₇ growth stage (physiological maturity) induced by rains, with seed yield not being allected. Lodging was observed during thethree seasons in the highly productive environment (average biomass of 6.6ton/ha), between R₂ (Iull bloom) and R₅ (full seeds on basal nodes). It was induced by rains, causing 9.2 and 7.8% seed yield reduction in 1986/87 and 1988/89, respectively. Seed yield was unallected by lodging on 1987/88, when it occurs early (R₂) in the reproductive stage. It was concluded that susceptibility to lodging is associated with the environment, and that sead yield losses depend on the time of occurrence, as well as on the plant abilityto restore its erect growth, with ellects being independent from plant population.