Background
Seed size is critical to the marketability of lentil. In PBA HallmarkXT, there was some mixed price signals due to variability in seed size and it not quite fitting into one of the 3 market classes (small, medium & large); this has has stabilised over the 21 harvest and no price discounts are apparent.
In 2020 & 21, we sourced seed from the previous season and graded it into seed size categories from >5mm, 4.5-5MM, 4-4.5mm to <4mm. This seed was sown and showed that the larger sown seed produced larger seed at harvest, but had no impact on biomass or grain yield.
In 2022, we are repeating the trial from 2021 with a similar pattern of seed lots, but advancing one year one to understand seed size stability over seasons and confirm that seed size is have little impact of grain yields.
This paddock was previously sown with wheat in 2021 and located in Warne with sandy clay loam.
Aim
To investigate the stability of the seed size trait in PBA HallmarkXT across generations.
Method
56 plots were sown on 3rd May, 2022 with a sow rate of 120kg.
Each plot has been replicated 4 times with the following seed sizes
| 2019 | <4mm | 4-4.5mm | 4.5-5mm | >5mm | – | control bulk sample |
| 2020 | – | 4-4.5mm | 4.5-5mm | 5-5.5mm | >5.5mm | control bulk sample |
| Seed from 2020 harvested groupings | <4mm | 4-4.5mm | 4.5-5mm | >5mm | – | – |