Investigation of genetic and molecular mechanisms of lentil (Lens culinaris) cv. ILL7537 during early defence responses to Ascochyta lentis

Abstract

Lentil (Lens culinaris) is a valuable and popular cool season legume worldwide. The lens shaped seed legume is a rich source of protein (up to 35%), complex carbohydrates, vitamin A and B, and potassium and iron and is high in fibre and low in sodium and fat. Therefore, lentil is a staple food in no- and low-meat diets especially in North Africa, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and parts of the Americas. Due to the high demand for lentil globally, its annual production has increased from 0.85 to 5.03 Mt within the last five decades. Australia is the fourth largest producer in the world with an annual export value of $185 million AUD. However, lentil global production and yield quality is greatly affected by the devastating fungal disease “Ascochyta blight” (AB). Ascochyta lentis (Vassilievsky) is a necrotrophic fungus that causes AB, affecting all above-ground parts of the plant resulting in up to 70% yield loss and marketability reduction annually. The fungus is endemic to lentil growing regions globally and is the top biotic constraint to lentil production in Australia. A range of studies have been conducted on A. lentis to clarify the epidemiology, diagnostics, lifecycle, survival, chemical susceptibility as well as pathogenic variation and physiology of the host-pathogen interaction. The knowledge on A. lentis pathogenicity together with identification of genetic and molecular mechanisms of lentil defence in the naturally resistant lentil genotypes would lead to the most economic, environmentally friendly and effective method of disease management. This study identified the genetic and molecular aspects of defence to A. lentis by identifying novel defence related genes and molecular pathways, their functions and locations on lentils chromosomes as well as some linked SNPs to the candidate genes. The identified genes, SNPs and QTLs identified may be used as genetic tools for the selection of A. lentis resistance within ILL7537 in future pre-breeding efforts.