Strategic Identification of New Genetic Diversity to Expand Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) Production (Using Nepal as an Example)

Sandesh Neupane,Deny K Shrestha,Kirstin E Bett,Rajeev Dhakal,Derek M Wright,Bishnu Dhakal

doi:10.3390/agronomy11101933

Sandesh Neupane, Deny K Shrestha + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11101933

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Abstract

Although lentil has a long history of cultivation, cultivars rely on a narrow genetic base, indicating room for broadening the diversity. Two field experiments were conducted at Bardiya, Nepal, during winter 2016 and 2017, with 324 diverse lentil genotypes obtained from genebanks and breeding programs around the world. Phenological traits related to adaptation, particularly days to flower, were assessed. A photothermal model was used to predict days to flower in new environments to identify genotypes that may be suitable for additional growing regions in Nepal, allowing for the expansion of the production area. Many putatively adapted genotypes were identified for terai, mid-hill, and high-hill growing regions. The list includes large-seeded or yellow cotyledon lines, representing new market classes of lentils for Nepal.

Highlights

Lentil is cultivated in more than 50 countries [1] typically categorized into three major lentil growing macro-environments: mediterranean, sub-tropical savannah, and temperate, where temperature and daylength differ considerably during the growing season [2,3,4]
Two field trials were conducted in the winter of 2016 and 2017 at Bardiya, Nepal (28◦15 07.6 N, 81◦30 05.4 E), with a diversity panel of 324 lentil genotypes obtained from genebanks of ICARDA, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Plant Gene Resources of Canada (PGRC), as well as cultivars developed at the Crop Development
All traits except days to emergence (DTE) and reproductive period (REP) were significantly different between years

Summary

Introduction

Lentil is cultivated in more than 50 countries [1] typically categorized into three major lentil growing macro-environments: mediterranean, sub-tropical savannah, and temperate, where temperature and daylength differ considerably during the growing season [2,3,4]. There are about 58,000 accessions of the genus Lens (cultivated and wild species) currently housed in different gene banks worldwide [5] These include landraces, breeding lines, advanced cultivars, and some unknown mixtures. Despite the availability of this large diversity, the majority of lentil-breeding programs use only a fraction of it, primarily due to the adaptation constraints of lentil germplasm from one environment when grown in a different environment [3,4,6]. These problems mostly arise from the temperature and photoperiod differences among environments [4,6]. The systematic and judicious use of genetic variability helps maximize genetic gain and, over time, productivity

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