Fatty acid composition and genome-wide associations of a chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) diversity panel for biofortification efforts.

Chickpea is a nutritionally dense pulse crop with high levels of protein, carbohydrates, micronutrients and low levels of fats. Chickpea fatty acids are associated with a reduced risk of obesity, blood cholesterol, and cardiovascular diseases in humans. We measured four primary chickpea fatty acids; palmitic acid (PA), linoleic acid (LA), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), and oleic acid (OA), which are crucial for human health and plant stress responses in a chickpea diversity panel with 256 accessions (Kabuli and desi types). A wide concentration range was found for PA (450.7-912.6 mg/100 g), LA (1605.7-3459.9 mg/100 g), ALA (416.4-864.5 mg/100 g), and OA (1035.5-1907.2 mg/100 g). The percent recommended daily allowances also varied for PA (3.3-6.8%), LA (21.4-46.1%), ALA (34.7-72%), and OA (4.3-7.9%). Weak correlations were found among fatty acids. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were conducted using genotyping-by-sequencing data. Five significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified for PA. Admixture population structure analysis revealed seven subpopulations based on ancestral diversity in this panel. This is the first reported study to characterize fatty acid profiles across a chickpea diversity panel and perform GWAS to detect associations between genetic markers and concentrations of selected fatty acids. These findings demonstrate biofortification of chickpea fatty acids is possible using conventional and genomic breeding techniques, to develop superior cultivars with better fatty acid profiles for improved human health and plant stress responses.

Organic dry pea (Pisum sativum L.): A sustainable alternative pulse-based protein for human health.

Dry pea (Pisum sativum L.) is a cool-season food legume rich in protein (20-25%). With increasing health and ecosystem awareness, organic plant-based protein demand has increased; however, the protein quality of organic dry pea has not been well studied. This study determined the genetic variation of individual amino acids (AAs), total AAs (liberated), total protein, and in vitro protein digestibility of commercial dry pea cultivars grown in organic on-farm fields to inform the development of protein-biofortified cultivars. Twenty-five dry pea cultivars were grown in two USDA-certified organic on-farm locations in South Carolina (SC), USA, for two years (two locations in 2019 and one in 2020). The concentrations of most individual AAs (15 of 17) and the total AA concentration significantly varied with dry pea cultivar. In vitro protein digestibility was not affected by the cultivar. Seed total AA and protein for dry pea ranged from 11.8 to 22.2 and 12.6 to 27.6 g/100 g, respectively, with heritability estimates of 0.19 to 0.25. In vitro protein digestibility and protein digestibility corrected AA score (PDCAAS) ranged from 83 to 95% and 0.18 to 0.64, respectively. Heritability estimates for individual AAs ranged from 0.08 to 0.42; principal component (PCA) analysis showed five significant AA clusters. Cultivar Fiddle had significantly higher total AA (19.6 g/100 g) and digestibility (88.5%) than all other cultivars. CDC Amarillo and Jetset were significantly higher in cystine (Cys), and CDC Inca and CDC Striker were significantly higher in methionine (Met) than other cultivars; CDC Spectrum was the best option in terms of high levels of both Cys and Met. Lysine (Lys) concentration did not vary with cultivar. A 100 g serving of organic dry pea provides a significant portion of the recommended daily allowance of six essential AAs (14-189%) and daily protein (22-48%) for an average adult weighing 72 kg. Overall, this study shows organic dry pea has excellent protein quality, significant amounts of sulfur-containing AAs and Lys, and good protein digestibility, and thus has good potential for future plant-based food production. Further genetic studies are warranted with genetically diverse panels to identify candidate genes and target parents to develop nutritionally superior cultivars for organic protein production.

Effect of High Temperature Stress During the Reproductive Stage on Grain Yield and Nutritional Quality of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus).

High temperature during the reproductive stage limits the growth and development of lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus). The reproductive and seed filling periods are the most sensitive to heat stress, resulting in limited yield and nutritional quality. Climate change causes frequent incidents of heat stress for global food crop production. This study aimed to assess the impact of high temperature during the reproductive stage of lentil on grain yield, nutritional value, and cooking quality. Thirty-six lentil genotypes were evaluated under controlled conditions for their high temperature response. Genotypic variation was significant (p < 0.001) for all the traits under study. High temperature-induced conditions reduced protein, iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) concentrations in lentils. Under heat stress conditions, mineral concentrations among lentil genotypes varied from 6.0 to 8.8 mg/100 g for Fe and from 4.9 to 6.6 mg/100 g for Zn. Protein ranged from 21.9 to 24.3 g/100 g. Cooking time was significantly reduced due to high temperature treatment; the range was 3-11 min, while under no stress conditions, cooking time variation was from 5 to 14 min. Phytic acid variation was 0.5-1.2 g/100 g under no stress conditions, while under heat stress conditions, phytic acid ranged from 0.4 to 1.4 g/100 g. All genotypes had highly significant bioavailable Fe and moderately bioavailable Zn under no stress conditions. Whereas under heat stress conditions, Fe and Zn bioavailability was reduced due to increased phytic acid levels. Our results will greatly benefit the development of biofortified lentil cultivars for global breeding programs to generate promising genotypes with low phytic acid and phytic acid/micronutrient ratio to combat micronutrient malnutrition.

Protein Biofortification in Lentils (Lens culinaris Medik.) Toward Human Health.

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is a nutritionally dense crop with significant quantities of protein, low-digestible carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins. The amino acid composition of lentil protein can impact human health by maintaining amino acid balance for physiological functions and preventing protein-energy malnutrition and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Thus, enhancing lentil protein quality through genetic biofortification, i.e., conventional plant breeding and molecular technologies, is vital for the nutritional improvement of lentil crops across the globe. This review highlights variation in protein concentration and quality across Lens species, genetic mechanisms controlling amino acid synthesis in plants, functions of amino acids, and the effect of antinutrients on the absorption of amino acids into the human body. Successful breeding strategies in lentils and other pulses are reviewed to demonstrate robust breeding approaches for protein biofortification. Future lentil breeding approaches will include rapid germplasm selection, phenotypic evaluation, genome-wide association studies, genetic engineering, and genome editing to select sequences that improve protein concentration and quality.

Organic dry pea (Pisum sativum L.) biofortification for better human health.

A primary criticism of organic agriculture is its lower yield and nutritional quality compared to conventional systems. Nutritionally, dry pea (Pisum sativum L.) is a rich source of low digestible carbohydrates, protein, and micronutrients. This study aimed to evaluate dry pea cultivars and advanced breeding lines using on-farm field selections to inform the development of biofortified organic cultivars with increased yield and nutritional quality. A total of 44 dry pea entries were grown in two USDA-certified organic on-farm locations in South Carolina (SC), United States of America (USA) for two years. Seed yield and protein for dry pea ranged from 61 to 3833 kg ha-1 and 12.6 to 34.2 g/100 g, respectively, with low heritability estimates. Total prebiotic carbohydrate concentration ranged from 14.7 to 26.6 g/100 g. A 100-g serving of organic dry pea provides 73.5 to 133% of the recommended daily allowance (%RDA) of prebiotic carbohydrates. Heritability estimates for individual prebiotic carbohydrates ranged from 0.27 to 0.82. Organic dry peas are rich in minerals [iron (Fe): 1.9-26.2 mg/100 g; zinc (Zn): 1.1-7.5 mg/100 g] and have low to moderate concentrations of phytic acid (PA:18.8-516 mg/100 g). The significant cultivar, location, and year effects were evident for grain yield, thousand seed weight (1000-seed weight), and protein, but results for other nutritional traits varied with genotype, environment, and interactions. "AAC Carver," "Jetset," and "Mystique" were the best-adapted cultivars with high yield, and "CDC Striker," "Fiddle," and "Hampton" had the highest protein concentration. These cultivars are the best performing cultivars that should be incorporated into organic dry pea breeding programs to develop cultivars suitable for organic production. In conclusion, organic dry pea has potential as a winter cash crop in southern climates. Still, it will require selecting diverse genetic material and location sourcing to develop improved cultivars with a higher yield, disease resistance, and nutritional quality.

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) as a Source of Essential Fatty Acids - A Biofortification Approach.

Chickpea is a highly nutritious pulse crop with low digestible carbohydrates (40-60%), protein (15-22%), essential fats (4-8%), and a range of minerals and vitamins. The fatty acid composition of the seed adds value because fats govern the texture, shelf-life, flavor, aroma, and nutritional composition of chickpea-based food products. Therefore, the biofortification of essential fatty acids has become a nutritional breeding target for chickpea crop improvement programs worldwide. This paper examines global chickpea production, focusing on plant lipids, their functions, and their benefits to human health. In addition, this paper also reviews the chemical analysis of essential fatty acids and possible breeding targets to enrich essential fatty acids in chickpea (Cicer arietinum) biofortification. Biofortification of chickpea for essential fatty acids within safe levels will improve human health and support food processing to retain the quality and flavor of chickpea-based food products. Essential fatty acid biofortification is possible by phenotyping diverse chickpea germplasm over suitable locations and years and identifying the candidate genes responsible for quantitative trait loci mapping using genome-wide association mapping.

Genome-wide association studies of mineral and phytic acid concentrations in pea (Pisum sativum L.) to evaluate biofortification potential.

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) is an important cool season food legume for sustainable food production and human nutrition due to its nitrogen fixation capabilities and nutrient-dense seed. However, minimal breeding research has been conducted to improve the nutritional quality of the seed for biofortification, and most genomic-assisted breeding studies utilize small populations with few single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Genomic resources for pea have lagged behind those of other grain crops, but the recent release of the Pea Single Plant Plus Collection (PSPPC) and the pea reference genome provide new tools to study nutritional traits for biofortification. Calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, zinc, and phytic acid concentrations were measured in a study population of 299 different accessions grown under greenhouse conditions. Broad phenotypic variation was detected for all parameters except phytic acid. Calcium exhibited moderate broad-sense heritability (H2) estimates, at 50%, while all other minerals exhibited low heritability. Of the accessions used, 267 were previously genotyped in the PSPPC release by the USDA, and we mapped the genotyping data to the pea reference genome for the first time. This study generated 54,344 high-quality SNPs used to investigate the population structure of the PSPPC and perform a genome-wide association study to identify genomic loci associated with mineral concentrations in mature pea seed. Overall, we were able to identify multiple significant SNPs and candidate genes for iron, phosphorus, and zinc. These results can be used for genetic improvement in pea for nutritional traits and biofortification, and the candidate genes provide insight into mineral metabolism.

Genome-wide association mapping of lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) prebiotic carbohydrates toward improved human health and crop stress tolerance.

Lentil, a cool-season food legume, is rich in protein and micronutrients with a range of prebiotic carbohydrates, such as raffinose-family oligosaccharides (RFOs), fructooligosaccharides (FOSs), sugar alcohols (SAs), and resistant starch (RS), which contribute to lentil's health benefits. Beneficial microorganisms ferment prebiotic carbohydrates in the colon, which impart health benefits to the consumer. In addition, these carbohydrates are vital to lentil plant health associated with carbon transport, storage, and abiotic stress tolerance. Thus, lentil prebiotic carbohydrates are a potential nutritional breeding target for increasing crop resilience to climate change with increased global nutritional security. This study phenotyped a total of 143 accessions for prebiotic carbohydrates. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was then performed to identify associated variants and neighboring candidate genes. All carbohydrates analyzed had broad-sense heritability estimates (H2) ranging from 0.22 to 0.44, comparable to those reported in the literature. Concentration ranges corresponded to percent recommended daily allowances of 2-9% SAs, 7-31% RFOs, 51-111% RS, and 57-116% total prebiotic carbohydrates. Significant SNPs and associated genes were identified for numerous traits, including a galactosyltransferase (Lcu.2RBY.1g019390) known to aid in RFO synthesis. Further studies in multiple field locations are necessary. Yet, these findings suggest the potential for molecular-assisted breeding for prebiotic carbohydrates in lentil to support human health and crop resilience to increase global food security.

Molecular Mechanisms and Biochemical Pathways for Micronutrient Acquisition and Storage in Legumes to Support Biofortification for Nutritional Security.

The world faces a grave situation of nutrient deficiency as a consequence of increased uptake of calorie-rich food that threaten nutritional security. More than half the world's population is affected by different forms of malnutrition. Unhealthy diets associated with poor nutrition carry a significant risk of developing non-communicable diseases, leading to a high mortality rate. Although considerable efforts have been made in agriculture to increase nutrient content in cereals, the successes are insufficient. The number of people affected by different forms of malnutrition has not decreased much in the recent past. While legumes are an integral part of the food system and widely grown in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, only limited efforts have been made to increase their nutrient content in these regions. Genetic variation for a majority of nutritional traits that ensure nutritional security in adverse conditions exists in the germplasm pool of legume crops. This diversity can be utilized by selective breeding for increased nutrients in seeds. The targeted identification of precise factors related to nutritional traits and their utilization in a breeding program can help mitigate malnutrition. The principal objective of this review is to present the molecular mechanisms of nutrient acquisition, transport and metabolism to support a biofortification strategy in legume crops to contribute to addressing malnutrition.

Heat and Drought Stress Impact on Phenology, Grain Yield, and Nutritional Quality of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus).

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) is a protein-rich cool-season food legume with an excellent source of protein, prebiotic carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins. With climate change, heat, and drought stresses have become more frequent and intense in lentil growing areas with a strong influence on phenology, grain yield, and nutritional quality. This study aimed to assess the impact of heat and drought stresses on phenology, grain yield, and nutritional quality of lentil. For this purpose, 100 lentil genotypes from the global collection were evaluated under normal, heat, and combined heat-drought conditions. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences (p < 0.001) among lentil genotypes for phenological traits, yield components, and grain quality traits. Under no stress conditions, mineral concentrations among lentil genotypes varied from 48 to 109 mg kg-1 for iron (Fe) and from 31 to 65 mg kg-1 for zinc (Zn), while crude protein content ranged from 22.5 to 32.0%. Iron, zinc, and crude protein content were significantly reduced under stress conditions, and the effect of combined heat-drought stress was more severe than heat stress alone. A significant positive correlation was observed between iron and zinc concentrations under both no stress and stress conditions. Based on grain yield, crude protein, and iron and zinc concentrations, lentil genotypes were grouped into three clusters following the hierarchical cluster analysis. Promising lentil genotypes with high micronutrient contents, crude protein, and grain yield with the least effect of heat and drought stress were identified as the potential donors for biofortification in the lentil breeding program.

Field pea (Pisum sativum L.) shows genetic variation in phosphorus use efficiency in different P environments.

Field pea is important to agriculture as a nutritionally dense legume, able to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and supply it back to the soil. However, field pea requires more phosphorus (P) than other crops. Identifying field pea cultivars with high phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) is highly desirable for organic pulse crop biofortification. This study identified field pea accessions with high PUE by determining (1) the variation in P remobilization rate, (2) correlations between P and phytic acid (PA), and (3) broad-sense heritability estimates of P concentrations. Fifty field pea accessions were grown in a completely randomized design in a greenhouse with two replicates under normal (7551 ppm) and reduced (4459 ppm) P fertilizer conditions and harvested at two time points (mid-pod and full-pod). P concentrations ranged from 332 to 9520 ppm under normal P and from 83 to 8473 ppm under reduced P conditions across all tissues and both time points. Field pea accessions showed variation in remobilization rates, with PI 125840 and PI 137119 increasing remobilization of P under normal P conditions. Field pea accessions PI 411142 and PI 413683 increased P remobilization under the reduced P treatment. No correlation was evident between tissue P concentration and seed PA concentration (8-61 ppm). Finally, seed P concentration under limited P conditions was highly heritable (H2 = 0.85), as was mid-pod lower leaf P concentrations under normal P conditions (H2 = 0.81). In conclusion, breeding for PUE in field pea is possible by selecting for higher P remobilization accessions in low P soils with genetic and location sourcing.

Prebiotic carbohydrate concentrations of common bean and chickpea change during cooking, cooling, and reheating.

Thermal processing of pulse crops influences the type and levels of prebiotic carbohydrates present. Pulses such as common bean and chickpea are rich sources of prebiotic carbohydrates, including sugar alcohols (SAs), raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs), fructooligosaccharides (FOSs), resistant starch (RS), and amylose. This study determined the changes in prebiotic carbohydrate concentrations of seven common bean and two chickpea market classes after thermal processing (cooking, cooling, and reheating). A 100-g serving of common bean provides 0.7 to 10.6 mg of SAs, 3.9 to 5.2 g of RFOs, 57 to 143 mg of FOSs, 2.6 to 3.9 g of RS, and 25 to 33 g of amylose; cooling and reheating reduced RFOs but increased SAs, FOSs, and RS in many cases. A 100-g serving of chickpea (cooked at 90 °C for 4 hr) provides 1.2 to 1.7 g of SAs, 2.5 to 3.2 g of RFOs, 26 to 43 mg of FOSs, 3.6 to 5.3 g of RS, and 24 to 30 g of amylose; cooling and reheating reduced SAs and RFOs but increased FOSs, RS, and amylose concentrations. Processing methods change the nutritional quality of pulse crops by changing the type and quantity of prebiotic carbohydrates.

Genotype and Environment Effects on Prebiotic Carbohydrate Concentrations in Kabuli Chickpea Cultivars and Breeding Lines Grown in the U.S. Pacific Northwest.

Prebiotic carbohydrates are compounds that include simple sugars, sugar alcohols, and raffinose family oligosaccharides, which are fermented by gut bacteria and can influence the species profile of the gut microbiome to reduce obesity and weight gain. Prebiotic carbohydrates are also associated with several health benefits including reduced insulin dependence and incidence of colorectal cancer. Although pulse crops such as chickpea have been important sources of nutrition for human diets for thousands of years, relatively little is known about the profiles of prebiotic carbohydrates in pulse crops. The objectives of this study were to characterize the type and concentration of seed prebiotic carbohydrates in 18 kabuli chickpea genotypes grown in 2017 and 2018 in Idaho and Washington, and partition variance components conditioning these nutritional quality traits in chickpea. Genotype effects were significant for fructose, sucrose, raffinose, and kestose. Environment effects were also significant for several carbohydrates. However, year effects were the greatest sources of variance for all carbohydrates. Concentrations of most carbohydrates were significantly greater in 2017, when there was less precipitation during the growing season coupled with greater heat stress during grain filling than in 2018. This may reflect the role of many of these carbohydrates as osmoprotectants produced in response to heat and water stress. Overall, our results suggest that a survey of more genetically diverse plant materials, such as a chickpea 'mini-core' collection, may reveal genotypes that produce significantly greater concentrations of selected prebiotic carbohydrates and could be used to introduce desirable nutritional traits into adapted chickpea cultivars.

Checking Agriculture's Pulse: Field Pea (Pisum Sativum L.), Sustainability, and Phosphorus Use Efficiency.

Investigations regarding the incorporation of better sustainable production strategies into current agricultural-food systems are necessary to grow crops that reduce negative impacts on the environment yet will meet the production and nutritional demand of 10 billion people by 2050. The introduction of organic, alternative staple food crops, such as nutrient-dense field pea (Pisum sativum L.), to the everyday diet, may alleviate micronutrient malnutrition and incorporate more sustainable agriculture practices globally. Varieties are grown in organic systems currently yield less than conventionally produced foods, with less bioavailable nutrients, due to poor soil nutrient content. One of the most limiting nutrients for field pea is phosphorus (P) because this legume crop requires significant inputs for nodule formation. Therefore, P use efficiency (PUE) should be a breeding target for sustainable agriculture and biofortification efforts; the important role of the soil microbiome in nutrient acquisition should also be examined. The objectives of this review are to highlight the benefits of field pea for organic agriculture and human health, and discuss nutritional breeding strategies to increase field pea production in organic systems. Field pea and other pulse crops are underrepresented in agricultural research, yet are important crops for a sustainable future and better food systems. Furthermore, because field pea is consumed globally by both developed and at-risk populations, research efforts could help increase global health overall and combat micronutrient malnutrition.

Effect of cover crops on the yield and nutrient concentration of organic kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala).

Kale is a leafy green vegetable regularly grown using non-organic agricultural systems. In recent years, organic kale demand has increased at near-doubling rates in the USA due to its perceived nutritional value. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of organic cover cropping systems on subsequent kale biomass production and nutrient composition (protein, mineral, and prebiotic carbohydrate concentrations) and to assess organic kale as a potential whole food source of daily essential mineral micronutrients and prebiotic carbohydrates. A single 100-g serving of fresh organic kale can provide mineral micronutrients (43-438 mg Ca; 11-60 mg Mg; 28-102 mg P; 0.5-3.3 mg Fe; 0.3-1.3 mg Mn; 1-136 µg Cu; and 0-35 µg Se) as well as 5.7-8.7 g of total prebiotic carbohydrates, including sugar alcohols (0.4-6.6 mg), simple sugars (6-1507 mg), raffinose and fructooligosaccharides (0.8-169 mg), hemicellulose (77-763 mg), lignin (0-90 mg), and unknown dietary fiber (5-6 g). Fresh organic kale has low to moderate concentrations of protein (1.3-6.0 g/100 g). Study results indicate that Starbor and Red Russian are the most suitable kale cultivars for organic production without considerable biomass and nutrient composition losses. Among the cover crops, faba bean results in the highest mineral, protein, and prebiotic carbohydrate concentrations in subsequent kale crops but ryegrass increases kale biomass production. Results also demonstrated a significant interaction between kale variety and organic cover crop with respect to biomass and nutrient concentration. Future organic nutritional breeding of kale is possible by selecting cultivars that perform well following different cover crops.

Variability in Prebiotic Carbohydrates in Different Market Classes of Chickpea, Common Bean, and Lentil Collected From the American Local Market.

Pulse crops such as lentil, common bean, and chickpea are rich in protein, low digestible carbohydrates, and range of micronutrients. The detailed information of low digestible carbohydrates also known as "prebiotic carbohydrate" profiles of commonly consumed pulse market classes and their impact on human health are yet to be studied. The objective of this study was to determine the profiles of prebiotic carbohydrates in two commonly consumed lentil market classes, seven common bean market classes, and two chickpea market classes. After removing fat and protein, total carbohydrates averaged 51/100 g for lentil, 53/100 g for common bean, and 54/100 g for chickpea. Among the portion of total carbohydrates, lentil showed 12/100 g of prebiotic carbohydrates (sugar alcohols, raffinose family oligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides, hemicellulose, cellulose, and resistant starch), 15/100 g in common bean, and 12/100 g in chickpea. Prebiotic carbohydrate concentrations within the market classes for each crop were significantly different (P < 0.05). In conclusion, these three pulses are rich in prebiotic carbohydrates, and considering the variation in these concentrations in the present materials, it is possible to breed appropriate market classes of pulses with high levels of prebiotic carbohydrates.

Lentil ( Lens culinaris Medikus) Diet Affects the Gut Microbiome and Obesity Markers in Rat.

Lentil, a moderate-energy high-protein pulse crop, provides significant amounts of essential nutrients for healthy living. The objective of this study was to determine if a lentil-based diet affects food and energy intake, body weight, percent body fat, liver weight, and body plasma triacylglycerols (TGs) as well as the composition of fecal microbiota in rats. A total of 36 Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with either a standard diet, a 3.5% high amylose corn starch diet, or a 70.8% red lentil diet for 6 weeks. By week 6, rats fed the lentil diet had significantly lower mean body weight (443 ± 47 g/rat) than those fed the control (511 ± 51 g/rat) or corn (502 ± 38 g/rat) diets. Further, mean percent body fat and TG concentration were lower, and lean body mass was higher in rats fed the lentil diet than those fed the corn diet. Fecal abundance of Actinobacteria and Bacteriodetes were greater in rats fed the lentil or corn starch diets than those fed the control diet. Fecal abundance of Firmicutes, a bacterial phylum comprising multiple pathogenic species, decreased in rats fed the lentil and high-amylose corn starch diets vs the control diet. The lentil-based diet decreased body weight, percent body fat, and plasma triacylglycerols in rats and suppressed intestinal colonization by pathogens.

Analysis of genetic variability and genotype × environment interactions for iron and zinc content among diverse genotypes of lentil.

Deficiencies of iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) are major problems in developing countries especially for woman and preschool children. Biofortification of staple food crops is a sustainable approach to improve human mineral intake via daily diet. Objectives of this study were to (1) determine the genetic variability for Fe and Zn content in cultivated indigenous and exotic lentil genotypes, and (2) determine the effect of genetic (G) × environmental (E) interaction on Fe and Zn content in 96 lentil genotypes grown in India over the 2 years. Significant genetic variability was observed for Fe and Zn content in lentil genotypes. Content ranged from 71.3 to 126.2 mg/kg for Fe, and 40.1 to 63.6 mg/kg for Zn. For Fe, cultivars and parental lines (71.3-126.2 mg/kg) showed slightly higher content than the breeding lines (76.8-124.3 mg/kg). For Zn, content were similar for both cultivars and breeding lines. However, year and the genotype × year interaction were significant for both Fe and Zn. Broad sense heritability estimates were found to be 45.8, 45.4 and 40.1 for Fe; 30.0, 63.0 and 69.0 for Zn content in breeding lines, cultivars/parental lines, and exotic lines, respectively. These heritability estimates indicated the potential of these lentil genotypes towards genetic improvement for increased Fe and Zn content using hybridization and selection over several generations. Significant positive correlation of Fe content and seed weight suggested a selection strategy for developing large seeded lentil for accumulation of more Fe in the seeds. No correlation was observed between Fe and Zn content. Further, recombination of Fe and Zn content is possible by developing recombination breeding. Thus present study findings would be useful in future for mapping and tagging the genes/QTL controlling Fe and Zn content and developing the improved biofortified cultivars.

Selecting Lentil Accessions for Global Selenium Biofortification.

The biofortification of lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus.) has the potential to provide adequate daily selenium (Se) to human diets. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine how low-dose Se fertilizer application at germination affects seedling biomass, antioxidant activity, and Se uptake of 26 cultivated lentil genotypes; and (2) quantify the seed Se concentration of 191 lentil wild accessions grown in Terbol, Lebanon. A germination study was conducted with two Se treatments [0 (control) and 30 kg of Se/ha] with three replicates. A separate field study was conducted in Lebanon for wild accessions without Se fertilizer. Among cultivated lentil accessions, PI533690 and PI533693 showed >100% biomass increase vs. CONTROLS: Se addition significantly increased seedling Se uptake, with the greatest uptake (6.2 µg g-1) by PI320937 and the least uptake (1.1 µg g-1) by W627780. Seed Se concentrations of wild accessions ranged from 0 to 2.5 µg g-1; accessions originating from Syria (0-2.5 µg g-1) and Turkey (0-2.4 µg g-1) had the highest seed Se. Frequency distribution analysis revealed that seed Se for 63% of accessions was between 0.25 and 0.75 µg g-1, and thus a single 50 g serving of lentil has the potential to provide adequate dietary Se (20-60% of daily recommended daily allowance). As such, Se application during plant growth for certain lentil genotypes grown in low Se soils may be a sustainable Se biofortification solution to increase seed Se concentration. Incorporating a diverse panel of lentil wild germplasm into Se biofortification programs will increase genetic diversity for effective genetic mapping for increased lentil seed Se nutrition and plant productivity.

Lentil and Kale: Complementary Nutrient-Rich Whole Food Sources to Combat Micronutrient and Calorie Malnutrition.

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is a nutritious food and a staple for millions of people. Not only are lentils a good source of energy, they also contain a range of micronutrients and prebiotic carbohydrates. Kale (Brassica oleracea v. acephala) has been considered as a health food, but its full range of benefits and composition has not been extensively studied. Recent studies suggest that foods are enrich in prebiotic carbohydrates and dietary fiber that can potentially reduce risks of non-communicable diseases, including obesity, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Lentil and kale added to a cereal-based diet would enhance intakes of essential minerals and vitamins to combat micronutrient malnutrition. This review provides an overview of lentil and kale as a complementary nutrient-rich whole food source to combat global malnutrition and calorie issues. In addition, prebiotic carbohydrate profiles and the genetic potential of these crops for further micronutrient enrichment are briefly discussed with respect to developing sustainable and nutritious food systems.