Seeding Rate
13 plants/ft²
Lower-density baseline used to evaluate canopy development, crop competition and yield response.
2025 Lentil Seeding Rate
CDC 6964 CL, CDC 7757 CL and LCS Rush CL were compared at 13, 16 and 18 plants/ft² to evaluate canopy structure, crop competition and yield response.
Research Question
Where does increasing lentil stand density improve canopy closure, competition and yield, and at what point does additional plant population stop providing a return?
Environmental Conditions
Starting CAW
Precipitation
Total CAW
The seeding-rate trial forms part of the same 2025 lentil management program. Crop response should therefore be interpreted together with the environmental conditions of the season rather than from plant population alone.
Treatments
Seeding Rate
16 plants/ft²
Intermediate population that produced fuller canopy development and the strongest overall yield response across the tested varieties.
Seeding Rate
18 plants/ft²
Highest population used to evaluate whether additional crop competition improved yield or created excess density and stand stress.
Results
CDC 6964 CL Stand Response
At 13 plants/ft² the canopy was thinner. At 16 plants/ft² the canopy was fuller with improved crop competition. At 18 plants/ft² the crop had the highest plant density.CDC 7757 CL Stand Response
The 13 plants/ft² treatment produced a more open canopy. The 16 plants/ft² treatment produced the most balanced canopy architecture. At 18 plants/ft², excess density and declining stand efficiency were observed.LCS Rush CL Stand Response
The 13 plants/ft² treatment produced a thinner canopy. The 16 plants/ft² treatment improved canopy closure. The 18 plants/ft² treatment produced the densest canopy and strongest visible crop competition.Yield Response
Yield increased from 13 to 16 plants/ft² across varieties. At 18 plants/ft², yield response plateaued or declined. The overall optimum in this trial centered near 16 plants/ft².Management Implication
Increasing plant population improved canopy closure and crop competition up to approximately 16 plants/ft². Increasing density to 18 plants/ft² did not continue to increase yield and, in several cases, introduced excess stand density or reduced stand efficiency. The 2025 results therefore place the strongest overall response near 16 plants/ft², while final seeding-rate decisions should still be interpreted within field and moisture conditions.