Abstract
Assessment of genetic diversity and population structure of germplasm collections plays a critical role in supporting conservation and crop genetic enhancement strategies. We used a cultivated lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) collection consisting of 352 accessions originating from 54 diverse countries to estimate genetic diversity and genetic structure using 1194 polymorphic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers which span the lentil genome. Using principal coordinate analysis, population structure analysis and UPGMA cluster analysis, the accessions were categorized into three major groups that prominently reflected geographical origin (world's agro-ecological zones). The three clusters complemented the origins, pedigrees, and breeding histories of the germplasm. The three groups were (a) South Asia (sub-tropical savannah), (b) Mediterranean, and (c) northern temperate. Based on the results from this study, it is also clear that breeding programs still have considerable genetic diversity to mine within the cultivated lentil, as surveyed South Asian and Canadian germplasm revealed narrow genetic diversity.
Highlights
Cultivated lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus ssp. culinaris) is the third most important cool-season grain legume in the world after chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and pea (Pisum sativum L.) (FAO, 2015)
Accessions were assigned to different major agro-ecological zones: Mediterranean, subtropical savannah, and Northern temperate according to global agro-ecological zones v3.0 (IIASA/FAO, 2012)
Germplasm originating from Iran and Turkey were not assigned to specific agro-ecological zones due to different agro-ecological climates within the country borders for lentil production areas and a lack of specific collection location that would facilitate this classification
Summary
Cultivated lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus ssp. culinaris) is the third most important cool-season grain legume in the world after chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and pea (Pisum sativum L.) (FAO, 2015). Lentil subsequently spread to central Asia and the Mediterranean Basin (Cubero, 1981; Lev-Yadun et al, 2000) It is a relatively new crop in North America, first introduced into northwest USA in the 1930s and into the northern temperate prairies of North America in the late 1960s (Muehlbauer et al, 1995). Lentil is grown in three major distinct agro-ecological zones: Mediterranean, sub-tropical savannah, Lentil Genetic Diversity and northern temperate (Tullu et al, 2011). These zones each exhibit different day lengths and temperatures, which limits the exchange of germplasm between agro-ecological adaptation zones
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