Characterization of core collection of lentil germplasm for phenology, morphology, seed and straw yields
Increasing and maintaining crop residues in predominantly cereal-based rotations of the US Pacific Northwest is critical to controlling soil erosion. The core collection of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) germplasm comprising 287 accessions was evaluated for variation in phenological, morphological and growth parameters including seed yields and residue amounts over a two-year period under conventional tillage and no-till conditions. The objectives of this study were (i) assess lentil genetic variation in germplasm for variation in biomass production and seed yield, (ii) assess the relationship of phenological and morphological traits with biomass and seed yield and (iii) identify high biomass producing germplasm for use as parents in the breeding program. Days to flowering and days to maturity ranged from 31 to 78 and from 71 to 106 days, respectively. Time to flowering in terms of cumulative heat units was a more efficient measurement than days to flowering. Plant height and plant canopy width had a significant association with total biomass, seed yield and residue amounts. Total biomass ranged from 788–6389 kg ha−1 under conventional tillage, while the range under no-till conditions was 1045–6195 kg ha−1. Most of the lines with higher biomass also produced the highest seed yields and residue amounts. Overall, only one accession produced more residue than `Laird'. In the more favorable environment of 1997, six accessions exceeded the control cultivars, `Laird' and `Indianhead', for residue amounts, and seven and twenty-four accessions exceeded control cultivars, `Pardina' and `Brewer', for seed yield. Results indicated that plant height, canopy width at maturity and seed yield explained most of the variation in biomass and residue production. Large seeded germplasm consistently had a longer reproductive growth period than small seeded accessions and had 17%, 7% and 21% more biomass, seed yield and residue, respectively. Our data indicated significant variation in lentil germplasm for biomass, seed yield and residue amounts to warrant their use in the breeding program.
Rainfall and temperature effects on lentil (Lens culinaris) seed yield in Mediterranean environments
SUMMARY Lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) is a rain-fed crop in North Africa and West Asia whose yields are limited by the amount and distribution of rainfall and winter cold. This study aimed to quantify the effects of climatic variables on lentil seed yields through the fitting of simple empirical models to trial data of two cultivars sown at six sites, 1983–89, representing 31 environments in Syria. The ranges over environments were 152–527 mm for total season rainfall and 1–52 for the number of frost nights. Overall, the total seasonal rainfall accounted for 40·8% of the variance in mean seed yield (1·27 t//ha, S.D. 0·82) with a response of 5·68 kg/ha/mm. A multiple regression model with monthly rainfall from November to May explained 67·6;0% of the variance in mean seed yield. From November to February the response of seed yield to rain was < 10 kg/ha/mm; rain in March, the period of late vegetative growth, made the most important contribution to seed yield. The response to April rain was negative. At Tel Hadya (the most frequently used site), the total seasonal rainfall accounted for 79·8% of the variance in mean seed yield, and the addition of the number of frost nights to the model improved the fit to 92·7%. Winter cold had a smaller effect on yield than rainfall, with no consistent overall effect, but differences over regions. The cultivars contrasted in their responses to drought (78S26002 was superior to ILL4400 at seasonal rainfall levels down to 134 mm) and the number of frost nights at Breda and Tel Hadya (78S26002 was more susceptible to cold than ILL4400). Thus, despite the predominant influence of rainfall on yield, the genetic variability in response to moisture and cold shows the scope for selection under rainfed Mediterranean environments.
Influence des facteurs climatiques sur le rendement de la féverole (Vicia faba L. var. ‘Ascott’) et ses composantes
The yield and yield components of a spring bean cultivar (Vicia faba L. cv. ‘Ascott’) grown in Rennes, western France, were collected for 33 years (1953–1985). Variability in these components has been related to climatic factors during different growth stages: until the beginning of flowering, high rainfall promotes yield and seed number per ground area, but incident radiation is negatively correlated with these components and to thousand seed weight; flowering is not a very sensitive stage; high air humidity is prejudicial to thousand seed weight and a large daily temperature variation reduces seed number but not final yield; for the largest yield, the period from the end of flowering to the beginning of ripening must last as long as possible with moderate temperatures (effects on thousand seed weight) and low water deficits (effects on seed number); from the beginning of ripening, heat shocks up to 30°C reduce yields. 
 
General diagrams are presented to show the role of different climatic factors.