Lentil Lines Research Articles

Variability in mineral composition of Canadian lentil genotypes

Lentils are a good dietary source of essential minerals for the proper functioning of the human body. We evaluated 34 cultivars and elite lentil lines representing the breadth of the Canadian breeding program. Trials were established in 10 site-years across Saskatchewan. Concentrations of 27 minerals were quantified with an inductive coupled argon plasma emission spectrometer in whole and dehulled lentil seeds. Lithium (Li), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), arsenic (As), silver (Ag), cadmium (Cd), tin (Sn), lanthanum (La), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) had concentrations below the quantification limit and were excluded from further analysis. The effects of site year, tissue type (whole and dehulled), and lentil genotypes were analyzed using a mixed model. Mineral concentrations of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), potassium (K), phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), boron (B), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), aluminum (Al), and barium (Ba) was different among genotypes and across environments. Most minerals except Cu had significantly different concentrations between whole and dehulled seeds. Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, B, Al, and Ba were more concentrated in whole seeds, while K, S, and Ni were higher in dehulled seeds. Among the 34 genotypes, CDC Impala had the highest Fe, Zn, K, P, S, and Cu concentrations. Lentil genotypes with a higher composition of several minerals could be a starting point for enhancing mineral composition in lentils.

Mapping and quantifying unique branching structures in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)

BackgroundLentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is a globally-significant agricultural crop used to feed millions of people. Lentils have been cultivated in the Australian states of Victoria and South Australia for several decades, but efforts are now being made to expand their cultivation into Western Australia and New South Wales. Plant architecture plays a pivotal role in adaptation, leading to improved and stable yields especially in new expansion regions. Image-based high-throughput phenomics technologies provide opportunities for an improved understanding of plant development, architecture, and trait genetics. This paper describes a novel method for mapping and quantifying individual branch structures on immature glasshouse-grown lentil plants grown using a LemnaTec Scanalyser 3D high-throughput phenomics platform, which collected side-view RGB images at regular intervals under controlled photographic conditions throughout the experiment. A queue and distance-based algorithm that analysed morphological skeletons generated from images of lentil plants was developed in Python. This code was incorporated into an image analysis pipeline using open-source software (PlantCV) to measure the number, angle, and length of individual branches on lentil plants.ResultsBranching structures could be accurately identified and quantified in immature plants, which is sufficient for calculating early vigour traits, however the accuracy declined as the plants matured. Absolute accuracy for branch counts was 77.9% for plants at 22 days after sowing (DAS), 57.9% at 29 DAS and 51.9% at 36 DAS. Allowing for an error of ± 1 branch, the associated accuracies for the same time periods were 97.6%, 90.8% and 79.2% respectively. Occlusion in more mature plants made the mapping of branches less accurate, but the information collected could still be useful for trait estimation. For branch length calculations, the amount of variance explained by linear mixed-effects models was 82% for geodesic length and 87% for Euclidean branch lengths. Within these models, both the mean geodesic and Euclidean distance measurements of branches were found to be significantly affected by genotype, DAS and their interaction. Two informative metrices were derived from the calculations of branch angle; ‘splay’ is a measure of how far a branch angle deviates from being fully upright whilst ‘angle-difference’ is the difference between the smallest and largest recorded branch angle on each plant. The amount of variance explained by linear mixed-effects models was 38% for splay and 50% for angle difference. These lower R2 values are likely due to the inherent difficulties in measuring these parameters, nevertheless both splay and angle difference were found to be significantly affected by cultivar, DAS and their interaction. When 276 diverse lentil genotypes with varying degrees of salt tolerance were grown in a glasshouse-based experiment where a portion were subjected to a salt treatment, the branching algorithm was able to distinguish between salt-treated and untreated lentil lines based on differences in branch counts. Likewise, the mean geodesic and Euclidean distance measurements of branches were both found to be significantly affected by cultivar, DAS and salt treatment. The amount of variance explained by the linear mixed-effects models was 57.8% for geodesic branch length and 46.5% for Euclidean branch length.ConclusionThe methodology enabled the accurate quantification of the number, angle, and length of individual branches on glasshouse-grown lentil plants. This methodology could be applied to other dicotyledonous species.

Applying a non-GMO breeding approach with an identified natural variation to reduce food allergen Len c3 in Lens culinaris seeds.

Lentils (Lens culinaris) are produced in diverse agroecological regions and are consumed as one of the most important food legumes worldwide. Lentils possess a nutritional profile from a human health perspective that is not only nutrient dense but also offers a better balance between protein and carbohydrates. However, lentil causes food allergy, which has been a significant concern due to increased consumption in parts of the world. Len c3, a non-specific lipid transfer protein (LTP), was identified as one of the allergens in lentil seeds. In this study, we identified an LTP gene Lcu.2RBY.4g013600 that encodes the lentil allergen Len c3. We then focused on gene screening from a collection of natural accessions to search for natural mutations of the Len c3 allergen-encoding gene. A natural lentil line M11 was identified with mutations at LcLTP3b and low accumulation of vicilin through genomic-assisted approaches. Furthermore, we generated a pool of lentil germplasms with LcLTP3b mutation background through crossing the identified lentil plant M11 with two lentil cultivars, CDC Redmoon and CDC Gold. These generated lentil hybrids can be used as a breeding resource targeting at reducing allergen risk in lentil consumption.

Evaluation and Selection of Native Lentil Lines Collected from Zanjan Province Regarding Potential Yield and Agro-Morphological Trait

Evaluation and Selection of Native Lentil Lines Collected from Zanjan Province Regarding Potential Yield and Agro-Morphological Trait

ISSR Analysis to Detect Genetic Variation Among Some Lentil Genotypes in Syria

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik) plays a significant role in human and animal nutrition. It is important to generate baseline information on genetic diversity of local and introduced lentil in Syria. Therefore, this study aimed to assess diversity and relationship among two local varieties and 35 introduced lentil lines from ICARDA using 20 Inter Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSR) primers.18 primers were able to amplify DNA bands with a total of 184 bands. Primers ISSR5, ISSR11, ISSR13, ISSR15 and ISSR16 presented 100% polymorphism percentage. The mean value of polymorphism percentage was 87.31%. ISSR primers could identify 19 unique bands in all genotypes, 12 of them were positive bands (present) and 7 were negative bands (absent). Primer ISSR11 was able to detect 3 positive unique bands in genotype Ln20. The UPGMA (unweighted pair group method with arithmetical averages) clustering based on ISSR data grouped 37 lentil genotypes into 6 clusters. The lowest genetic distance (0.20) was observed between (Ln15 and Ln16, Ln21 and Ln22, Ln27 and Ln28) which proves that they are closely related. While Ln24 presented the highest genetic distance (0.49) with both Ln18 and Idleb3 which refers to their genetic divergence.

A mis-splicing early flowering 3 (elf3) allele of lentil is associated with yield enhancement under terminal heat stress.

There is a vast scope of area expansion of lentils after harvesting wet rice in South Asia. However, due to the photoperiod effect and terminal heat, the existing short-duration varieties failed to minimize yield loss under late-sown conditions. A mis-splicing causing A/G SNP present in the last nucleotide of exon 3 of early flowering 3 (ELF3) gene (elf3 allele) in a lentil line, L4710, is associated with the photoperiod insensitive flowering and the fast absolute growth rate (AGR). None of the Indian cultivars tested in this study, either early or late, possesses the non-functional elf3 allele. However, the A to G transition in ELF3-exon2 replaces glycine with aspartic acid at the 403rd amino acid in all the Indian varieties tested, compared to the reference sequence of Mediterranean accession, ILL5588. Therefore, targeting A/G SNP of exon 3, a PCR-based codominant marker is developed. The elf3 allele is correlated with the fast AGR and early flowering, but low yield and biomass, in an L4710 × LL56-derived RIL-population, compared to ELF3 carrying alleles when sown on 15th November. However, in a month of delayed sowing (20th December), the same elf3-RILs revealed a higher yield and biomass with slower AGR Moreover, three elf3-carrying lines, grown in delayed condition (20 December) for two consecutive years in three locations, outyielded three popular high-yielding cultivars that carry functional ELF3. Thus, elf3-carrying high-yielding lines could be the breeder's choice to expand and enhance lentil yield in short-season environments and in vast rice fallows of south Asia, where delayed rice harvest occurs frequently.

Phytochemical Profiling and Untargeted Metabolite Fingerprinting of the MEDWHEALTH Wheat, Barley and Lentil Wholemeal Flours.

An important research target is improving the health benefits of traditional Mediterranean, durum wheat-based foods using innovative raw materials. In this study, we characterised wholemeal flours obtained from a traditional durum wheat cv. Svevo, two innovative durum wheat varieties (Svevo-High Amylose and Faridur), the naked barley cv. Chifaa and the elite lentil line 6002/ILWL118/1-1, evaluating them for targeted phytochemicals, untargeted metabolomics fingerprints and antioxidant capacity. To this aim, individual phenolic acids, flavonoids, tocochromanols and carotenoids were identified and quantified through HPLC-DAD, and the antioxidant capacities of both the extracts and whole meals were detected by ABTS assays. An untargeted metabolomics fingerprinting of the samples was conducted through NMR spectroscopy. Results showed that the innovative materials improved phytochemical profiles and antioxidant capacity compared to Svevo. In particular, Svevo-HA and Faridur had higher contents of ferulic and sinapic acids, β-tocotrienol and lutein. Moreover, Chifaa is a rich source of phenolic acids, β-tocopherols, lutein and zeaxanthin whereas lentil of flavonoids (i.e., catechin and procyanidin B2). The NMR profiles of Svevo-HA and Faridur showed a significant reduction of sugar content, malate and tryptophan compared to that of Svevo. Finally, substantial differences characterised the lentil profiles, especially for citrate, trigonelline and phenolic resonances of secondary metabolites, such as catechin-like compounds. Overall, these results support the potential of the above innovative materials to renew the health value of traditional Mediterranean durum wheat-based products.

Mixtures of Commercial Lentil Cultivars Show Inconsistent Results on Agronomic Parameters but Positive Effects on Yield Stability

Cultivar mixtures are a useful tool to enhance cultivated biodiversity to buffer crop biotic and abiotic stresses. There are multiple pieces of evidence of mixture advantages in terms of pathogen control and increase in yield amount, stability and quality. Lentil represents a founder crop in the Mediterranean, yet it experiences strong yield fluctuations in the face of abiotic stresses. The present study aims to assess the mixing ability of four Italian commercial lentil lines in terms of yield amount and stability, nodule number, total lentil biomass and sensitivity to weeds. Since there is very limited information on lentil genotype traits, two-, three- and four-cultivar mixtures were designed with a trait-blind approach and compared to sole cultivars. The nodule number was mainly influenced by cultivar and weather; no interaction between cultivars was observed. Treatments were differently sensitive to weeds, but the effect of spatial heterogeneity prevailed over that of the cultivar. The average yield stability of all mixtures was significantly higher than pure stands, but in terms of yield amount, individual mixtures either outperformed or were outperformed by pure stands. Against our expectations, cultivar mixtures showed the most advantages in the most productive year: likely, the reason lies in the supposed low genetic diversity of commercial lentil lines in Italy. We encourage further research, taking into account the diversity of Italian lentil landraces, in order to gain a broader genetic base for the implementation of a trait-based approach, which may lead to better-performing mixtures.

Resistance in lentil (Lens culinaris) genetic resources to the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum)

AbstractThe pea aphid (PA), Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), can cause complete yield loss in lentil, Lens culinaris Medik. (Fabaceae, Leguminosae), if not managed properly. Determining lentil genetic resources with resistance to PA is important for integrated pest management (IPM) in production areas worldwide. The objectives of this study were to identify genetic resources and genes associated with resistance to PA in 188 lines of the USDA Lentil Single Plant Core Collection. A cluster analysis of the mean number of adults, nymphs, and total aphids that developed on lentil lines 10 days after infestation with a single aphid identified four clusters associated with aphid resistance: 20 lines were considered resistant, 99 moderately resistant, 51 moderately susceptible, and 18 susceptible. PIs 329157 LSP and 432085 LSP, originating from Iran, demonstrated the best resistance when assessing antibiotic and antixenotic properties. Genotyping‐by‐sequencing (GBS)‐based single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were used for genome‐wide association mapping to locate genes or quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with PA resistance traits, in which six, four, and three SNPs were associated with low numbers of PA adults, nymphs, and total aphids that developed on lentil lines, respectively. Fifteen candidate genes were identified relating to PA resistance. The results can effectively be used in molecular lentil breeding programs to target specific genomic regions associated with PA resistance, as well as in traditional breeding, using lines identified as highly PA‐resistant as parents, to develop durable resistance in lentil cultivars.

‘BARI Masur‐9’: An extra‐early lentil cultivar for a rice‐based cropping system in Bangladesh

AbstractLentil (Lens culinaris Medik) is the third‐most important grain legume in the world. In Bangladesh, it is important for human food and nutrition, animal feed, and sustainable rice‐based cropping systems. However, lentil area is declining due to competition with other winter and spring crops, particularly irrigated spring rice (boro rice; Oryza sativa L.). To increase lentil production, the extra‐early (<95 d) lentil line LRIL‐22‐70 was selected to grow in the short fallow period between monsoon and spring rice under a proposed new cropping pattern. LRIL‐22‐70 was identified from a recombinant inbred line population through rigorously evaluated in diverse agro‐ecological conditions of Bangladesh and released for commercial cultivation by Pulses Research Centre, BARI, as ‘BARI Masur‐9’ (Reg. no. CV‐36, PI 700307) in 2018. BARI Masur‐9 is a transgressive segregant for earliness (matures in <93 d) and fits well in the new monsoon rice–lentil–spring rice cropping pattern. It is a medium‐seeded (2.38 g 100–1 seed) cultivar with high tolerance to Stemphylium blight. The average seed yield of BARI Masur‐9 was 1,201 kg ha–1, with higher concentrations of Fe (73 mg kg−1) and Zn (61 mg kg−1) compared with other genotypes; thus, BARI Masur‐9 contributes to combatting micronutrient malnutrition in Bangladesh. BARI Masur‐9, the first extra‐early lentil cultivar, can successfully be grown to replace fallow between rice as a new cropping pattern monsoon rice–lentil (BARI Masur‐9)–spring rice in about 8 million ha in Bangladesh, eastern Indian states, and eastern Nepal.

‘BARI Masur‐8’: A high‐yielding and biofortified lentil cultivar in Bangladesh

AbstractLentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is a nutritious food for millions of people globally. It plays an important role in Bangladesh as a good source of protein and micronutrients for low‐income populations with less access to animal protein. To enhance nutritional security, a nutrient‐dense lentil line, LR‐9‐25, was identified from a Stemphylium blight (SB) screening population developed at The International Center for Agriculture Research in the Dry Areas through a cross between ILLX955‐135 and FLIP92‐52L. The line LR‐9‐25 was rigorously evaluated in diverse agro‐ecological conditions of Bangladesh and released for commercial cultivation by the Pulses Research Centre, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute as ‘BARI Masur‐8’ (Reg. no. CV‐35, PI 700306) in 2015. BARI Masur‐8 matures in 115–120 d and fits well into existing rice‐based cropping patterns. It is a medium‐height (35 cm) and medium‐seeded (1.94 g 100−1 seed) cultivar having a high level of tolerance to SB and root rot diseases. BARI Masur‐8 showed high yield potential (1,973 kg ha−1) and high concentrations of Fe (74 mg kg−1), Zn (61 mg kg−1), and Se (325 μg kg−1) in seed. Another desirable trait is the late planting potential, with sowing up to the first week of December after the harvest of long‐duration rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars, which is a major area for lentil production in Bangladesh. The cultivation of this improved cultivar will play an important role for enhancing nutritional security by increasing lentil production in Bangladesh, Nepal, and eastern Indian states in South Asia.

Assessing genetic diversity among spontaneous mutant progenies of lentil (Lens culinaris) variety DPL 62

An experiment was conducted during winter (rabi) season 2017–18, at the Department of Genetics and PlantBreeding, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana, to assess the genetic divergence for yield and yieldcomponent among 60 spontaneous mutant lines of lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus ssp. culinaris). Hierarchical clusteranalysis grouped maximum numbers of genotypes in cluster II. Maximum intra cluster distance was exhibited by cluster II followed by cluster IV and cluster III whereas, maximum inter cluster distance was observed between cluster III and cluster VI followed by cluster V and cluster VI and cluster I and VI. Based on the high yield and yield contributing traits and their presence in distant clusters, the genotypes, viz. RKL 61F-2-15, RKL 58F-3715, RKL 1003-68G, Garima, RKL 1003-69G-A, RKL 23C-2741A and RKL 26C-345 can be effectively used in hybridization programmefor lentil improvement to obtain desirable segregants. The first six principal component (PC) explain more than 65%of the total variability. Based on Principal factor (PF) scores, genotypes RKL 3-94, RKL 26C-340, RKL 50E-273,RKL 73GIII-13, RKL 51E, RKL 23C-2741 and RKL 26C-345 can be regarded as early maturing and high yielding.Genotypes, viz. RKL 61F-2-15, RKL 58F-3715, RKL 1003-68G, Garima, RKL 1003-69G-A, RKL 23C-2741A andRKL 26C-345 belongs to diverse clusters can be considered as better parents to be used in hybridization programme.

Genotypic variation in root architectural traits under contrasting phosphorus levels in Mediterranean and Indian origin lentil genotypes.

The development of phosphorus-efficient crop cultivars boosts productivity while lowering eutrophication in the environment. It is feasible to improve the efficiency of phosphorus (P) absorption in lentils by enhancing phosphorus absorption through root architectural traits. The root architectural traits of 110 diverse lentil genotypes of Indian and Mediterranean origin were assessed, and the relationships between traits were investigated. In a hydroponics experiment, the lentil lines were examined at the seedling stage under two conditions: adequate P supply and deficient P supply. The Pearson correlation coefficients between root architectural traits and genetic diversity among lentil lines were assessed. To estimate variance components, a model (fixed factor) was used. In this experiment, both phosphorus (P) and genotype were fixed variables. Our lentil lines showed significant genetic variability and considerable genetic diversity for all traits under both treatments. The TRL (total root length) and PRL (primary root length) showed strong positive associations with all other characteristics excluding root average diameter (RAD) in both P treatments. In both P treatments, the RAD revealed a negative significant association with Total Root Tips (TRT), as well as total root volume (TRV) and total root forks (TRF) in the deficit conditions of P. Total root volume (TRV), total surface area (TSA), and total root tips had higher coefficient variance values. The first two principal components represented 67.88% and 66.19% of the overall variance in the adequate and deficit P treatments respectively. The Shannon-Weaver diversity index (H′) revealed that RAD, PRL, and TSA had more variability than TRT and TRF under both treatments. According to the Comprehensive Phosphorus Efficiency Measure (CPEM), the best five highly efficient genotypes are PLL 18-09, PLS 18-01, PLL 18-25, PLS 18-23, and PLL 18-07, while IG112131, P560206, IG334, L11-231, and PLS18-67 are highly inefficient genotypes. The above contrasting diverse lentil genotypes can be utilized to produce P-efficient lentil cultivars. The lentil germplasm with potentially favorable root traits can be suggested to evaluated for other abiotic stress to use them in crop improvement programme. The scientific breakthroughs in root trait phenotyping have improved the chances of establishing trait–allele relationships. As a result, genotype-to-phenotype connections can be predicted and verified with exceptional accuracy, making it easier to find and incorporate favourable nutrition-related genes/QTLs in to breeding programme.

Identification of the Promising Lines of Lentil for Varietal Improvement

This study aimed to evaluate and identify promising lentil genotypes for varietal enhancement, conducted at the Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC), Agriculture Botany Division (ABD), Khumaltar. Eighteen genotypes sourced from the National Grain Legumes Research Program (NAGRC) and the International Centre for Agriculture Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) was assessed. Various parameters, including plant stand, flowering duration, maturity period, plant height, yield-related traits, chlorophyll content, and disease severity, were recorded. Notable correlations were found between grain yield and key attributes such as pods per plant, 1000-seed weight, chlorophyll content, final plant stand, and branches per plant. Genotypes exhibiting high chlorophyll content, optimal plant height, increased branching, greater seed weight, more pods, enhanced plant stand, and lower disease susceptibility displayed positive correlations with grain yield. Among these, genotype ILL-10071 demonstrated the highest average grain yield, highlighting its potential for further breeding and improvement programs. Other promising genotypes included ILL-9924, ILL-3338, ILL-10265, ILL-1920, ILL-6458, ILL-6465, and RL-71, showcasing significant grain yield and warranting consideration in future varietal enhancement initiatives. These findings underscore the importance of specific traits in lentil genotypes and provide valuable insights for breeding programs aimed at enhancing lentil productivity.

Genotypic variability in root length in pea (Pisum sativum L.) and lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) cultivars in a semi‐arid environment based on mini‐rhizotron image capture

AbstractPhysiological breeding is an approach that complements conventional breeding by providing characterizations of traits present in breeding populations. This allows breeders the ability to choose crosses based on desirable and adaptive traits, an approach that may be more reliable than selection on yield alone. In this study, we determined how much genotypic variability was present in selected lines of modern field pea (Pisum sativum L.) and lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) cultivars from Montana, North Dakota, Washington, and Saskatchewan, Canada, and if root growth, particularly at depth, improves the fitness of lines to semi‐arid environments. We conducted experiments at the Northern Agricultural Research Center of Montana State University from 2017 to 2019 inclusively to investigate root growth with mini‐rhizotrons in 29 field pea lines and 25 lentil lines. Results suggest there is large genotypic variability in root length across the soil profile and the proportion of root length found below 30 cm in both crops, and these root traits appear independent of each other. In field pea, the highest yielding cultivars were intermediary in both total root length and the proportion of root length below 30 cm, suggesting large root systems and/or deeper root profiles are not necessarily beneficial in this environment. By contrast, in lentil, total root length and root length found below 30 cm was well correlated with biomass and yield. For breeders interested in in improved adaptation to semi‐arid environments, it may be too early to optimize root systems, and above‐ground traits may still yield a better return on investment.

Selection of Lentil (Lens culunaris L.) Lines Grown at Different Sowing Dates for Their Precocity and Their Agronomic Performance under Semi-arid Climate of Tunisia

Background: In Tunisia, water deficit and heat stress during the end of cycle are more frequent and causes significant yield losses. Selection of short cycle lines could be a good solution to escape the effect of heat and drought during the end of cycle. Furthermore, there is little published information on the effect of the sowing date on yield and its components in lentils. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the sowing date on yield and its components of some lentil lines. The best productive and early lines will be selected and therefore proposed for registration in the official catalog of plant varieties. The availability of these varieties to farmers could increase lentil production. Methods: Sixteen genotypes of lentil out of which 14 were advanced lines and 2 were checks varieties were used in this study. The field experiment was conducted during the 2017-2018 cropping season at Kef research station located in a semi-arid zone in north western Tunisia. Genotypes were sown on December 15th, 2017 and February, 7th, 2018. Seventeen agro-morphological parameters were recorded. Result: Based on agro-morphological analysis, lentil lines exhibited considerable genetic variability. Among the tested lines, L3 line seem to be the earliest lines. It showed high yield as well in timely and late sown dates. This line deserves more attention to develop short-cycle and high yielding variety.

High‐throughput phenotyping of plant growth rate to screen for waterlogging tolerance in lentil

AbstractThe combination of poorly drained soils and high rainfall can cause transient waterlogging and reduce yield of lentil. We screened 111 lentil lines for response to waterlogging in 2019 and 2020 using a pot assay outdoors. At 484 °Cd after emergence (38 d) in 2019 and 452 °Cd after emergence (42 d) in 2020, plants were waterlogged for 184 °Cd (11 d, 2019) and 167 °Cd (14 d, 2020) and allowed to recover for 323 °Cd (20 d, 2019) and 307 °Cd (26 d, 2020). We combined 2‐D digital images of canopy cover and plant height to derive a 3‐D trait that correlates with biomass to derive plant growth rate. Actual biomass at the end of recovery in the waterlogged plants varied 2.6‐fold with genotype, and genotypic and phenotypic correlations showed associations with plant growth rate both during (rg = .92; rp = .74) and after waterlogging (rg = .75; rp = .72); there was no trade‐off between maintenance of growth during waterlogging and growth during recovery. The ratio of biomass between waterlogged and control plants at the end of recovery was associated with growth rate during recovery (rg = .88, rp = .65) and biomass at the end of waterlogging (rg = .61, rp = .67). Broad‐sense heritability was 0.27 for growth rate during waterlogging, 0.37 for growth rate during recovery, 0.51 for biomass at the end of waterlogging and 0.47 for biomass at the end of recovery. High biomass at the end of recovery correlated with cooler canopies but correlations varied with season and measurement date, and heritability of canopy temperature was low. We identified genotypes with consistently higher tolerance to waterlogging and provide an improved understanding of the physiological response of lentil to hypoxia highlighting the importance of growth rate not only during waterlogging but also during recovery.

Lentil yield and crop growth rate are coupled under stress but uncoupled under favourable conditions

Growth and yield can be decoupled in lentil whereby excessive vegetative growth leads to self-shading, reduced pod and seed set, low harvest index and higher risk of disease and lodging. We evaluated the degree of coupling between growth and yield in 20 lentil lines grown in eight environments varying in water and photothermal conditions returning a 10-fold yield range, from 21 to 221 g m−2. Calibration curves between shoot biomass and canopy cover measured with NDVI and green canopy cover measured with Canopeo app were improved with canopy height as a multiplication factor returning a 3-D trait. Calibration curves were used to phenotype shoot biomass and calculate crop growth rate.For the pooled data, yield correlated non-linearly with crop growth rate, with an x-intercept of 0.09 g m−2 [oCd]-1, suggesting a minimum plant size for reproduction, and an inflection point at 0.43 g m−2 [oCd]-1. Yield correlated with biomass and crop growth rate in the more stressful conditions (yield ≤ 107 g m−2) and was decoupled in higher yielding conditions (yield ≥ 170 g m−2). Yield associated with harvest index at all yield levels, but more strongly in high-yielding conditions. Biomass and harvest index correlated in environments with yield ≤ 107 g m−2, and decoupled under more favourable conditions (yield ≥ 170 g m−2). Yield associated with phenology under stress but not in favourable conditions. For the combination of lines and environments in this study, broad sense heritability was 0.96 for flowering time, 0.93 for harvest index, 0.89 for yield, 0.87 for crop growth rate and 0.39 for biomass. Selection for harvest index would improve yield across environments whereas selection for growth rate could further improve yield under stress. Agronomic practices to improve the coupling of yield and growth under favourable conditions need to be explored; for example, using precision seeding to reduce rectangularity of crop arrangement and favour penetration of radiation into the canopy and pod set.

A Research on determining the factors affecting on seed yield in different lentil lines and cultivars (Lens culinaris Medik.) in adiyaman conditions by correlation and path coefficient analysis

This research was conducted in 2015 year in Kahramanmaras province (37°32'09.5"N 36°55'01.2"E) with 3 lentil genotypes (CAGIL, FIRAT-87, and FLIP 2005-20 L). In the research, direct and indirect effects of yield components on seed yield were examined by correlation and path coefficient analysis. The correlation coefficients between the investigated features were found to be insignificant. According to the path coefficients, the highest positive direct effect on seed yield was determined as pod number per plant (p=4.015). On the other hand, the highest negative direct effect on seed yield was obtained from plant height (p=-3.606). The indirect effect of the seed number per plant over number of days until maturity on the seed yield was determined as the highest positive indirect effect (p=55.546%). The indirect negative highest effect on seed yield was determined in the pod number per plant over thousand seed weight (p=51.488%). As a result, the number of pods per plant should be taken into consideration by the breeders due to direct effect of it was positive and high

Genetic variability and character association among the yield and yield attributing components in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)

Twenty one advanced lines of lentil including three checks were selected. The observations were recorded on five randomly selected plants of each genotype under each replication and per plant. Data were obtained by averaging the values. (i) Pre-harvest observations - days to flowering, days to maturity, (ii) postharvest observations - plant height (cm), pods per plant, no. of branches per plant, yield per plot (kg/ha), 100- seed weight and plant stand (%) considered .The study revealed that characters viz., 100-seed weight (177.5), plant height (66.1) and seed yield (20.7) showed high GCV apprises. In the present investigation out of eight, only seven components (PCs) exhibited more than 5 Eigen value, and showed about 91.289% total variability among the studied traits. Among the others characters days to maturity was positively and significantly correlated by days to 50% flowering and number of pods per plant suggesting early maturity or late maturity depends on flowering which are directly correlated with seed yield and selection of more number of pods plant gives maximum yield.