Selection of Suitable Genotypes of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) under Rainfed Conditions in South Italy Using Multi-Trait Stability Index (MTSI)

Mohamed Houssemeddine Sellami,Antonella Lavini,Cataldo Pulvento

doi:10.3390/agronomy11091807

Abstract

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is a popular legume crop in the Mediterranean region, widely grown for its nutritious seeds and improving soil fertility. Lentil yield is a critical and challenging trait for crop genetic improvement because it is influenced by various factors that have detrimental effects on seed yields and seed quality traits. This research was carried out in Italy between 2017 and 2019 to identify high-performing stable genotypes presenting multiple desirable traits and to assess the seed quality of 13 lentil accessions in the field. According to the results of the multi-trait stability index (MTSI), (1) only three accessions (Altamura, Easton, and Caltagirone) fared better in various environmental conditions, and (2) the selected accessions had strength toward seed yield (SY), above-ground biomass (AGB), and 1000-seed weight (THS). The genotype × environment interaction (GEI) effects were highly significant for all traits. During the third growing season, most lentil accessions were sensitive to frost. There was no correlation between lentil seed yield and protein concentration. The MTSI is a useful tool for breeders interested in selecting accessions based on their mean performance and stability, as well as desirable traits and minimum multicollinearity issues.

Highlights

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is an annual leguminous plant and one of the oldest edible crops [1]
Lentils and legumes are more environmentally sustainable because they require fewer natural resources to grow, so much so that 2016 was the international year dedicated to them [38]. This urges a need for improving lentil genetic activity for high-quality nutrition and optimum yield potential under different environmental conditions
Using a multi-trait stability index to select suitable lentil accessions under rainfed conditions in South Italy demonstrated that the multi-trait stability index is a good technique to develop high-performance and stable accessions in lentil breeding programs

Summary

Introduction

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is an annual leguminous plant and one of the oldest edible crops [1]. The crop is best adapted for production in temperate climates but is produced in many regions of the world [3]. India, and Australia are the primary producers of lentil, with the three countries producing approximately 68% of global lentil production in 2019 [4]. The cultivation of this legume has gradually increased in Italy during the last 20 years, from more than 1000 hectares to more than 5600 hectares [5,6]. The interest in grain legumes, which are a major alternative source of protein to meat for the future, is increasing at present [7,8,9]

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Conclusion