Lentil is small, bushy, annual plant of the pea family.

Lentil may also be referred as Red Dal or Split Pea.

Lentils are widely cultivated throughout Europe, Asia, North Africa and the Western Hemisphere.

Lentil growing areas in India are Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Division: Magnoliophyta
• Class: Magnoliopsida
• Order: Fabales
• Family: Fabaceae
• Genus: Lens
• Species: culinaris

• Seeds and unripe pods are the most economically important part of Lentils.
• Dried husk are fed to cattle.

Lentil is a temperate pulse crop.

It requires a cool and dry climate.

It is sensitive to cloudy and stormy weather.

High humidity and excessive rainfall encourage vegetative growth.

Lentil is adapted to all types of soil from sand to clay loam.

It performs best in deep sandy loam soil.

Well drained soil with moderate acidic conditions gives good yield.

• The major challenges involve Biotic and Abiotic causes.
• Biotic Causes:
  • Major pest: Cowpea Aphid, Pea Aphid, Leaf Weevil, Cut Worms and Thrips.
  • Major Diseases: Grey Mould, Stemphylium Blight, Ascochyta Blight, Fusarium Wilt and Rust.
• Abiotic Causes
  • Chlorosis
  • Browning
  • Necrosis