Abstract
The study purpose was to summarize and analyze multi-year data on the nutritional quality of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) accessions from the basic collection of the National Center for Plant Genetic Resources of Ukraine (NCPGRU).Materials and methods. In 1992–2018, 555 accessions of the NCPGRU’s basic collection of lentils were studied. Lens culinaris Medik. accessions were represented by two subspecies: subsp. microsperma and subsp. macrosperma.The collection accessions of lentils were investigated and morphologically described; they were grouped by economic and biological features according to the Classifier of the genus Lens L.The protein content in seeds was determined by the Kjeldahl digestion in the Laboratory of Genetics, Biotechnology and Quality of the Plant Production Institute nd. a. VYa Yuriev NAAS.Results and discussion. The nutritional parameters of lentil seeds were evaluated in the full ripeness phase: protein content, cooking time, palatability, colors of cotyledons and seed coat, resistance to infuscation, and seed size.As to the protein content in seeds, the collection includes the following accessions: with a very high protein content (>30%) – one reference accession UD0600398 (Ukraine) with the protein content of 30.34%; with high protein content (29-30%) – 26 accessions; with medium protein content (26–28%) – 55 accessions; with low protein content (20–25%) – 79 accessions. As to the cooking boiling rate, the collection includes 154 accessions: with a very good rate (< 40 minutes) – 45 accessions; with a good rate (40–60 minutes) – 89 accessions; with a medium rate (61–80 minutes) – 20 accessions. Reference accessions for various levels of lentil palatability were distinguished and included in the collection: very low palatability (3 points) – LUG 330/04 (Ukraine); low palatability (5 points) – 1743 T 19 (Canada); high palatability (7 points) – Miledi, (Russia).The seed appearance is an important aspect of the market value of food lentils: the seed coat color, cotyledon color, resistance to infuscation. The accessions were grouped by cotyledon color as follows: yellow – 87 accessions; hot-yellow – 67 accessions; green – 6 accessions. In accordance with the Classifier of the genus Lens, there are currently eight types of the seed coat pigmentation; their references are listed below: white – LUG 45/09 (Ukraine); pink – LUG 116/09 (Ukraine); green – Zelenyy Chervonets (Ukraine); yellow-green – Krasnohradska 250 (Ukraine); gray – 1743 T 19 (Canada); gray-red – Elista (Slovakia); brown – UD0600444 (Ethiopia); and black – Beluga (Israel).Given the ability of the seed coat to infuscate, the reference accessions for this trait were chosen: infuscating – Krasnohradska 250 (Ukraine); non-infuscating – LUG 45/09 (Ukraine).
Highlights
Grain legume cultivation is a reliable way to solve the protein problem
Lentil seeds were biochemically analyzed in the Laboratory of Genetics, Biotechnology and Quality, PPI NAAS
A considerable diversity of accessions in a feature collection covering the entire range of ecogeographical zones, will enable selecting accessions that are as distant from each other as possible to expand the genetic base of new varieties
Summary
Grain legume cultivation is a reliable way to solve the protein problem. In Ukraine, as in many other countries, there is an acute shortage of protein. Development of new food varieties of major grain legumes, including lentil, is the most important aspect of modern breeding. Screening of genetic resource collections to identify sources of increased protein content is an important prerequisite for further development of this breeding avenue [8]. As to the nutritional properties, biochemical composition and substantiality of seeds, lentil ranks the first among legumes and is characterized by good palatability and technological qualities. It is recommended for everyday, infant, vegetarian and medical nutrition [9]. As part of the solution to the problem, results of multi-year studies and data on the nutritional qualities of lentil accessions of the basic collection were analyzed and summarized, which was the primary objective of our research
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