Abstract
Lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) is important rainfed winter season grain legume for diversification of cereal-based cropping system worldwide. The crop originated in Near East and spread to different region establishing in wide range of agro-ecology. Lentil is cultivated in more than 50 countries. Lentil grains are rich sources of protein, prebiotic carbohydrates, micronutrients, and vitamins. Lentil is important staple food in regions with low income. The productivity of lentil is low due to poor seedling vigour, high flower drop, low pod set, poor dry matter accumulation, and susceptibility to biotic and abiotic stresses. Biotic and abiotic stresses induced by climate change pose challenge to lentil cultivation. Discovery of new genes and quantitative trait loci offer opportunity to breeders for improving lentil varieties for higher grain yield, nutritive value, and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. In this chapter, we discuss the present challenges and opportunities for lentil improvement.Keywords Lens culinaris OriginHybridizationBreedingBiotic and abiotic stressesNutritional quality
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