Lens Culinaris Medik Research Articles

The effect of physical and chemical mutagenesis in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)

This comprehensive study investigates the impact of physical and chemical mutagenesis on lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) to enhance genetic variability and identify mutants with improved agronomic traits. Gamma radiation and ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) were used as mutagens. The experimental design, treatment doses, and observed morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses of lentil genotypes are presented. The results demonstrate significant variability in traits such as plant height, seed yield, chlorophyll content, biological yield, harvest index, and 1000-seed weight, with notable differences between control and treated groups. The findings highlight the potential of mutagenesis for crop improvement and genetic diversity enhancement in lentil breeding programs. Statistical analysis revealed significant correlations among key traits, and path coefficient analysis was used to identify traits with the most direct impact on seed yield.

Unveiling the Diversity and Virulence of Seedborne Fusarium Species in Lentil Production: Insights from a Two-Year Study in the Northern Great Plains

Fusarium root rot/wilt caused by various Fusarium spp. significantly threatens lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) production in the Northern Great Plains (NGP) region. However, the specific composition of seedborne Fusarium spp. causing this disease is not well understood. To address this gap, we conducted a comprehensive study spanning 2019 and 2020, collecting lentil seeds from 75 commercial fields across Montana, North Dakota, Washington, Idaho, and Ontario. Our analysis focused on both externalized and internalized pathogens, with particular attention to Fusarium spp., employing morphological and molecular techniques for identification. In total, 486 and 228 Fusarium isolates were recovered in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Predominant species included F. equiseti, F. acuminatum, F. oxysporum, F. tricinctum, F. graminearum, F. proliferatum, F. redolens, F. avenaceum, and F. sporotrichioides. Virulence studies conducted in the greenhouse revealed varying levels of aggressiveness among Fusarium spp., with F. sporotrichioides, F. oxysporum, and F. graminearum demonstrating the highest virulence. Further investigation into pathogen internalization within seed lots revealed that incidence was highest in the seed coat, followed by the cotyledon, with the lowest occurrence in the embryo. F. avenaceum was prevalently isolated from the seed coat, cotyledon and embryo. Additionally, Fusarium spp. isolated from the seed coat and cotyledon exhibited higher virulence and greater diversity compared to those from the embryo. This study reports the first comprehensive assessment of both externalized and internalized seedborne Fusarium spp. in the NGP region. The insights gained from our findings will inform the development of targeted management strategies for Fusarium root rot/wilt, ultimately aiding in the preservation of lentil crop health and productivity in the NGP and beyond.

A case study on lentil to demonstrate the value of using historic data stored in genebanks to guide the selection of resources for research and development projects

Plant genetic resources are essential for sustainable agriculture and a secure and stable global food supply. One of the most important pulses and an integral part of a healthy diet is lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.). The National Centre for Plant Genetic Resources of Ukraine (NCPGRU), based in Kharkiv, manages a lentil collection of 1,140 accessions. In 2019, the first exchange of 37 lentil accessions between NCPGRU and a French research team took place. This exchange was accompanied by the transfer of phenotyping data for multiple traits. Considering that data collected in different environments provide important information on trait stability, the lentil accessions were phenotyped under new conditions through field research. This research allowed a comparative analysis of agroclimatic conditions for lentil cultivation in Ukraine (Kharkiv region) and France (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region). The possibility of using genebank information to guide plant material selection for research and development projects was assessed. As a result, six lentil genotypes that performed well in different environments were selected. This allowed the identification of genotypes with the highest yield potential: UD0600086, UD0600145, UD0600437, UD0600530, UD0600550 and UD0600638. Genotypes recommended for use in breeding to produce high-yielding, relatively stable lentil varieties were successfully selected in the application case of this study, confirming that the information in the trait database of the NCPGRU Genebank is an important resource for predicting the characteristics of lentil accessions. Of the eight accessions selected by GGE biplot analysis using field research, five were predicted to be more promising by previous genebank data.

Mapping QTLs for aluminium and phosphorus tolerances at seedling and reproductive stages in lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus)

Mapping QTLs for aluminium and phosphorus tolerances at seedling and reproductive stages in lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus)

Evaluation of the Effects of Cultivar and Location on the Interaction of Lentil Seed Characteristics with Optimal Cooking Time

The most important product of the lentil crop (Lens culinaris Medik) is the seeds. The main seed characteristics are their size, color, and the cooking time required to make them edible. Cultivar, location of cultivation, and their interaction are the primary factors of raw or cooked seed characteristics. The study examined the impact of five different lentil cultivars (Dimitra, Elpida, Thessalia, Samos, and 03-24L), as influenced by the cultivation environment in four different zones or nine different locations in Central-Northern Greece, on cooking time. The optimal cooking time (OCT) was calculated by cooking the seeds for 0–60 min to determine the percentage of cooked seeds using the penetration test. OCT was associated with the characteristics of both raw (mass of 1000 seeds, external color, and the percentage of mature/immature seeds) and cooked (color and organoleptic characteristics of the cooking media as well as mass increase and hardness and organoleptic characteristics of the seeds) seeds for 30 min. Depending on location, each cultivar had a different mass of 1000 seeds; Elpida had the highest mass (63.9 g), and Dimitra had the lowest (33.1 g). This was linked to OCT, which was among the highest (57.5 min) for Elpida, lowest (49 min) for Dimitra, and intermediate for Thessalia, Samos, or 03-24L. The average OCT was 55.9 min for all samples. The seed from the five locations with the shortest OCT was considered appropriate for human consumption. Two locations yielded seeds with intermediate OCT, while the other two produced the highest OCT; these were recommended for processing or propagation. In this study, the cultivar factor had a greater effect on raw seed characteristics, while the location factor had a greater effect on cooked seed characteristics and OCT than either the location, the cultivar factor, or the cultivar x location interaction.

Genetic variability and genotype-by-environment interaction for plant architecture and lodging resistance in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)

Genetic variability and genotype-by-environment interaction for plant architecture and lodging resistance in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)

Low molecular weight carbohydrates and abiotic stress tolerance in lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus): a review.

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) is a nutrient-rich, cool-season food legume that is high in protein, prebiotic carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. It is a staple food in many parts of the world, but crop performance is threatened by climate change, where increased temperatures and less predictable precipitation can reduce yield and nutritional quality. One mechanism that many plant species use to mitigate heat and drought stress is the production of disaccharides, oligosaccharides and sugar alcohols, collectively referred to as low molecular weight carbohydrates (LMWCs). Recent evidence indicates that lentil may also employ this mechanism - especially raffinose family oligosaccharides and sugar alcohols - and that these may be suitable targets for genomic-assisted breeding to improve crop tolerance to heat and drought stress. While the genes responsible for LMWC biosynthesis in lentil have not been fully elucidated, single nucleotide polymorphisms and putative genes underlying biosynthesis of LMWCs have been identified. Yet, more work is needed to confirm gene identity, function, and response to abiotic stress. This review i) summarizes the diverse evidence for how LMWCs are utilized to improve abiotic stress tolerance, ii) highlights current knowledge of genes that control LMWC biosynthesis in lentil, and iii) explores how LMWCs can be targeted using diverse genomic resources and markers to accelerate lentil breeding efforts for improved stress tolerance.

INFLUENCE OF MORPHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF LENTIL (LENS CULINARIS MEDIK) SAMPLES ON YIELD COMPONENTS AND CORRELATION ANALYSES OF SOME CHARACTERISTICS

The aim of the research is to study the correlation between crop capacity and physiological characteristics of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik). Determination of correlation between physiological characteristics and crop indicators, and assessment of their influence on grain yield give an opportunity to select genotypes with high crop capacity. According to the results of the analysis, strong positive correlation was detected among the valuable economic characters of lentil genotypes, i.e. between indexes such as number of grains per plant with grain weight per plant r=0.88*** and grain productivity per plant r=0.71***; between grain weight per plant and grain productivity in 1m2 plot r=0.79***; among chlorophyll ‘a’, chlorophyll ‘b’ and carotenoid content in leaves (r=0.92***, r=0.81*** respectively); between net photosynthetic productivity and biomass in 1m2 plot (r=**0.67;). Moreover, moderate positive correlation was detected among the indicators of grain number per plant (r=*0.54) and grain weight (r=**0.57) and grain productivity (r=*0.62). Among the lentil genotypes, K-72015 genotype, which has a good result based on the analysis of morphological-physiological and productivity characteristics, gives the opportunity to grow it as a new promising variety in the republic and obtain a higher yield.

Efficacy of bio-pesticides based modules for the management of major insect pest of lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) under field condition

Efficacy of bio-pesticides based modules for the management of major insect pest of lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) under field condition

Advancements in Lentil Genomics for Enhanced Crop Breeding: A Review

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik) is an essential pulse crop that is widely grown for its high nutritional value, notably its high protein content, making it an important dietary component for vegetarians and vegans. Despite being the world's fifth most produced pulse, with large contributions from Canada and India, lentil production confronts obstacles such as poor productivity due to limited genetic improvement against biotic and abiotic stresses under rainfed cultivation conditions. Recent advances in lentil genetics and genomics, such as the discovery of genes related to yield, disease resistance, and nutritional content, have boosted breeding efforts to generate improved lentil varieties. The use of contemporary genomic techniques like molecular markers, marker-assisted selection (MAS), genomic selection (GS), and next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology has sped up the discovery of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and the production of novel cultivars with superior agronomic characteristics. Databases such as NCBI and ENA, as well as specialized resources like KnowPulse, provide critical genomic data, while the creation of lentil genome assemblies, notably the CDC Redberry variety, has improved our understanding of lentil genetics. These resources help to solve the constraints of traditional breeding, particularly for complex characteristics impacted by genotype-environment interactions, opening the way for more robust and productive lentil varieties. Although the application of advanced tools such as genetic engineering, cisgenesis, and genome editing has moved more slowly in lentils than in other crops, their potential to improve lentil output is encouraging. Recent studies on lentil genomes, together with the creation of increased genetic resources and cutting-edge techniques, offer the ability to overcome production constraints and dramatically increase lentil production and quality throughout the world.

Versatile Functions of Raw and Modified Lentils/Lentil Components in Food Applications: A Review

ABSTRACTLentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) and lentil components are cost‐effective, sustainable, eco‐friendly, nutritious, and vegan functional ingredients in food formulations. These versatile properties have recently increased the popularity of them among consumers and food manufacturers. Various emerging processing technologies, such as microwave (MW), infrared (IR), high pressure (HP), ultrasound (US), cold plasma (CP), ozone, ionizing irradiation, ultraviolet (UV)‐light, ultrafiltration (UF), and isoelectric precipitation (IEP), have been effectively applied to improve the functional properties of lentils and lentil components, thereby increasing their consumption and utility. This review article focuses on the nutritional, health‐promoting, and technological functions of raw and modified lentils/lentil components in food applications and the effects of emerging technologies on their functionality. Selecting appropriate, sustainable technology and determining optimized process conditions are crucial for producing functional, healthy food from modified lentils that display enhanced consumer acceptability. Recent research indicates that MW, IR, HP, US, MW‐IR, HP‐enzymolysis, UV‐US, and US‐γ‐irradiation technologies have substantial potential for modifying and enhancing the functionality of lentil and lentil components.

Lentil adaptation to drought stress: response, tolerance, and breeding approaches.

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is a cool season legume crop that plays vital roles in food and nutritional security, mostly in the least developed countries. Lentil is often cultivated in dry and semi-dry regions, where the primary abiotic factor is drought, which negatively impacts lentil growth and development, resulting in a reduction of yield. To withstand drought-induced multiple negative effects, lentil plants evolved a variety of adaptation strategies that can be classified within three broad categories of drought tolerance mechanisms (i.e., escape, avoidance, and tolerance). Lentil adapts to drought by the modulation of various traits in the root system, leaf architecture, canopy structure, branching, anatomical features, and flowering process. Furthermore, the activation of certain defensive biochemical pathways as well as the regulation of gene functions contributes to lentil drought tolerance. Plant breeders typically employ conventional and mutational breeding approaches to develop lentil varieties that can withstand drought effects; however, little progress has been made in developing drought-tolerant lentil varieties using genomics-assisted technologies. This review highlights the current understanding of morpho-physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms of lentil adaptation to drought stress. We also discuss the potential application of omics-assisted breeding approaches to develop lentil varieties with superior drought tolerance traits.

Alleviating Damage Extent and Enhancing Yield through Mild Shading in Microsperma and Macrosperma Genotypes of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) at Terminal Heat and Combined Stress Condition

The threat of global climate change mainly in term of heat and combined stress is one of the utmost serious concerns for farmers, and have a negative impact on agriculture production and challenging food security worldwide. A field experiment was conducted during Rabi season at Pulse breeding Block, G.B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar. The objective of this investigation was to effect of shading to mitigate the heat and combined stress as well as the comparison of heat and combined stress in microsperma and macrosperma genotypes. It was laid out in factorial random block design with three replications. The morpho-physiological and yield attributes of both genotypes under varied growth condition at different time interval were evaluated. The microsperma (PL-8) and macrosperma (PL-11) after shading changed their plant height (6% and 5%), NDVI value (5% and 4%), Membrane stability index (9% and 6%), days to maturity (7% and 6%) and total no of grain (15% and 37%) under heat stress while in combined stress it was changed by 8% and 10% in plant height, 9% and 3% in NDVI value,14% in MSI,7% and 3% in days to maturity and13% and 23% in yield. The above finding proves the effect of shading mitigate the damage extent and also increase production of both lentil genotypes (PL-8) and (PL-11).

Simulating the development and growth of lentil using the CSM‐CROPGRO model

AbstractThe pulse crop lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is often grown in crop rotations to provide nitrogen (N) and water benefits for subsequent crops. Lentil yields vary greatly with environmental factors and management. A reliable crop model for lentil could assist efforts to assess the effects of management practices to mitigate environmental stresses and maximize lentil yields. However, few crop models simulate the development and growth of lentil. In this study, we adapted the CSM‐CROPGRO model in the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer to simulate lentil development and growth based on data collected from six experiments conducted from 2001 to 2021 globally. The initial parameter values taken from faba bean (Vicia faba L.) were modified based on reported information and analysis of observed data. Those values were fine‐tuned to minimize the gaps between the simulated and observed crop attributes. The model simulated well development stages with root mean square error (RMSE) of 4 days and aboveground biomass with normalized root mean square error (nRMSE ≤ 23%). Seed yields were generally well simulated across experiments in calibration and validation (nRMSE = 19%) datasets, except for overestimation under the humid environment of Quebec in Canada, which may have resulted from excessive vegetative growth. The underlying mechanisms leading to excessive vegetative growth need to be explored further and included in the model for evaluating the adaptability of lentils to specific regions. Overall, the CSM‐CROPGRO‐Lentil model is ready for simulating lentil production under various scenarios, which may identify ways to improve the productivity and resiliency of cropping systems that include lentil.

Impact of Various Weed Control Methods on Weed Density, Weed Control Efficiency, and Seed Yield in Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik L.)

Impact of Various Weed Control Methods on Weed Density, Weed Control Efficiency, and Seed Yield in Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik L.)

Molecular cloning and characterization of heat-responsive LcOPR1, a gene encoding oxophytodienoic acid reductase in lentil.

Improving crop plants using biotechnological implications is a promising and modern approach compared to traditional methods. High-temperature exposure to the reproductive stage induces flower abortion and declines grain filling performance, leading to smaller grain production and low yield in lentil and other legumes. Thus, cloning effective candidate genes and their implication in temperature stress tolerance in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) using biotechnological tools is highly demandable. The 12-oxophytodienoic acid reductases (OPRs) are flavin mononucleotide-dependent oxidoreductases with vital roles in plants. They are members of the old yellow enzyme (OYE) family. These enzymes are involved in the octadecanoid pathway, which contributes to jasmonic acid biosynthesis and is essential in plant stress responses. Lentil is one of the vital legume crops affected by the temperature fluctuations caused by global warming. Therefore, in this study, the LcOPR1 gene was successfully cloned and isolated from lentils using RT-PCR to evaluate its functional responses in lentil under heat stress. The bioinformatics analysis revealed that the full-length cDNA of LcOPR1 was 1303 bp, containing an 1134 bp open reading frames (ORFs), encoding 377 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 41.63 and a theoretical isoelectric point of 5.61. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that the deduced LcOPR1 possesses considerable homology with other plant 12-oxophytodienoic acid reductases (OPRs). Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that LcOPR1 has an evolutionary relationship with other OPRs in different plant species of subgroup I, containing enzymes that are not required for jasmonic acid biosynthesis. The expression analysis of LcOPR1 indicated that this gene is upregulated in response to the heat-stress condition and during recovery in lentil. This study finding might be helpful to plant breeders and biotechnologists in LcOPR1 engineering and/or plant breeding programs in revealing the biological functions of LcOPR1 in lentils and the possibility of enhancing heat stress tolerance by overexpressing LcOPR1 in lentil and other legume plants under high temperature.

Synergistic impact of Rhizobium and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on lentil plant tolerance to heavy metal-rich fly ash amended soil

The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of microbes [symbiotic bacteria viz. Rhizobium (Frank) and the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) viz. Funneliformis caledonius (Nicolson & Gerd.) and Glomus bagyarajii Mehrotra] on the growth and physiology of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) cultivated in soil alone and soil amended with fly ash. The experiment had twenty-four treatments, twelve in sterilized soil and twelve in unsterilized soil (with six treatments in soil alone and six in soil amended with fly ash in both the sets). Amendment of soil with 25% fly ash significantly increased plant growth. Microbial inoculation further increased the plant growth and physiological parameters studied (plant length, fresh and dry weight, chlorophyll and protein content, and nitrate reductase activity). Microbial parameters like nodule number and fresh weight, mycorrhizal root colonization and spore numbers were also significantly higher in plants inoculated with Rhizobium + AMF. Soil amendment with 25% fly ash together with inoculation of Rhizobium + AMF further improved the growth of lentil. Plant heavy metal (Cd, Pb, Zn) content was significantly more in soil amended with fly ash, but microbial inoculation significantly decreased heavy metal uptake. Of the two AM fungus studied F. caledonius proved to be better, resulting in higher plant growth and physiological parameters studied with reduced heavy metal uptake.

Metabolic Aspects of Lentil-Fusarium Interactions.

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lentis (Fol) is considered the most destructive disease for lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) worldwide. Despite the extensive studies elucidating plants' metabolic response to fungal agents, there is a knowledge gap in the biochemical mechanisms governing Fol-resistance in lentil. Τhis study aimed at comparatively evaluating the metabolic response of two lentil genotypes, with contrasting phenotypes for Fol-resistance, to Fol-inoculation. Apart from gaining insights into the metabolic reprogramming in response to Fol-inoculation, the study focused on discovering novel biomarkers to improve early selection for Fol-resistance. GC-MS-mediated metabolic profiling of leaves and roots was employed to monitor changes across genotypes and treatments as well as their interaction. In total, the analysis yielded 178 quantifiable compounds, of which the vast majority belonged to the groups of carbohydrates, amino acids, polyols and organic acids. Despite the magnitude of metabolic fluctuations in response to Fol-inoculation in both genotypes under study, significant alterations were noted in the content of 18 compounds, of which 10 and 8 compounds referred to roots and shoots, respectively. Overall data underline the crucial contribution of palatinitol and L-proline in the metabolic response of roots and shoots, respectively, thus offering possibilities for their exploitation as metabolic biomarkers for Fol-resistance in lentil. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first metabolomics-based approach to unraveling the effects of Fol-inoculation on lentil's metabolome, thus providing crucial information related to key aspects of lentil-Fol interaction. Future investigations in metabolic aspects of lentil-Fol interactions will undoubtedly revolutionize the search for metabolites underlying Fol-resistance, thus paving the way towards upgrading breeding efforts to combat fusarium wilt in lentil.

Evaluation of Different Botanicals Against Sclerotium rolfsii Causing Collar Rot Disease of Lentil

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is an important pulse crop in semiarid regions of Iran, India, Turkey and Canada and originated in the fertile crescent of the Near East and dates back to the beginning of agriculture itself. Lentil suffer from attack of number seed borne diseases such as vascular wilt, collar rot, root rot, stem rot, rust, powdery mildew and downy mildew, which are caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lentis, Sclerotium rolfsii, Rhizoctonia solani, Uromycis fabae, Erysiphe polygoni and Peronospora lentis, respectively. Among the diseases, foot and root rot of lentil caused by Sclerotium rolfsii are common and the most severe disease. The fungi can attack the crop at any stage from seedling to flowering stage and are comparatively more destructive at the seedling stage. The effect of phyto extracts of nine plant species were tested in vitro by poisoned food technique to know their inhibitory effect on the growth of Sclerotium rolfsii. Significantly minimum mycelium growth was recorded in Curcuma longa (39.25 mm) while maximum mycelium growth was observed in Ricinus communis (90.00 mm).

Incidence, Characterization and Pathogenicity of Seed-Borne Fungi of Lentil (<em>Lens culinaris</em> L.) in Pakistan

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is an important protein-rich Rabi pulse crop after chickpea in Pakistan. Its area and production in the country is decreasing drastically due to its susceptibility to various biotic and abiotic stresses. Among biotic-stresses, seed-borne fungi are the most imperative issue and the accurate identification and characterization of target pathogen isolates/races is crucial for the management of plant diseases in lentils. Therefore, the current study was performed to identify the fungi associated with lentil seeds, to confirm their pathogenicity and to assess their incidence. For this purpose, isolation of fungal pathogens was made on potato dextrose agar medium (PDA) from 56 Lens culinaris L. genotypes. These pathogens were characterized using morphological and molecular techniques and their pathogenicity was performed following blotter paper and agar plate method. Seven fungi belonging to five genera were isolated from lentil seeds (Fusarium avenaceum, Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus tubingensis, Penicillium citrinum and Bipolaris sorokiniana) of different genotypes. Of these seven fungal species, F. avenaceum, A. tubingensis and B. sorokiniana are new records for lentil seeds from Pakistan. Aspergillus flavus was found to occur in high frequency followed by A. niger, F. avenaceum, P. citrinum, A. alternata, A. tubingensis and B. sorokiniana. Under pathogenicity test on blotter paper and on PDA F. avenaceum, A. flavus, A. niger, A. tubingensis were highly pathogenic, while A. alternata, P. citrinum and B. sorokiniana were found to be less pathogenic. The presence of well-known toxigenic fungal pathogens in lentil seeds suggests the possible risk of contamination of the seeds and enhances the possibility of pre- and post-infections of crop. Therefore, the present study will help to devise effective management strategies to reduce contamination in seeds and also to control the further spread of these pathogens to reduce crop losses.