EVALUATION OF TERMINAL WATER STRESS EFFECT ON MORPHOLOGICAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS, YIELD AND REMOBILIZATION OF ASSIMILATES IN TWO TYPES OF LENTILS CULTIVARS (Lens culinaris Medik culinaris ssp.) UNDER ALGERIAN CONDITIONS

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik culinaris) is the main important food legume worldwide and in the Mediterranean areas, it is faced to terminal drought coinciding with its reproductive period and inducing yield losses. The present investigation was conducted on microsperma (Syrie229) and macrosperma (Metropole) varieties of Lentil to evaluate differences in drought tolerance regarding to some morpho- physiological parameters, productivity, seed N and K remobilization. A field Trial was carried out under Rain fed and irrigated conditions using two Lentil varieties (small and large seeds). Results indicated that terminal drought effected all studied parameters, the variety factor was significant only for INN, LA, FSW, NC and KC. The highest grain yield was obtained under irrigated treatment, however, GY depend on environmental conditions and the (water regime× varieties) interaction either on the variety factor or the type of plants. Results showed also the superiority of microsperma type in accumulating more Nitrogen and Potassium to developing seeds.