Genetic diversity in ex-situ conserved Lens culinaris for botanical descriptors, biochemical and molecular markers and identification of landraces from indigenous genetic resources of Pakistan

The 'microbiome counterattack': Insights on the soil and root-associated microbiome in diverse chickpea and lentil genotypes after an erratic rainfall event

Legumes maintain soil fertility thanks to their associated microbiota but are threatened by climate change that causes soil microbial community structural and functional modifications. The core microbiome associated with different chickpea and lentil genotypes was described after an unexpected climatic event. Results showed that chickpea and lentil bulk soil microbiomes varied significantly between two sampling time points, the first immediately after the rainfall and the second 2 weeks later. Rhizobia were associated with the soil of the more productive chickpea genotypes in terms of flower and fruit number. The root-associated bacteria and fungi were surveyed in lentil genotypes, considering that several parcels showed disease symptoms. The metabarcoding analysis revealed that reads related to fungal pathogens were significantly associated with one lentil genotype. A lentil core prokaryotic community common to all genotypes was identified as well as a genotype-specific one. A higher number of specific bacterial taxa and an enhanced tolerance to fungal diseases characterized a lentil landrace compared to the commercial varieties. This outcome supported the hypothesis that locally adapted landraces might have a high recruiting efficiency of beneficial soil microbes.

Intelligent Characterization of Lentil Genetic Resources: Evolutionary History, Genetic Diversity of Germplasm, and the Need for Well-Represented Collections

The genetic and phenotypic characterization of crops allows us to elucidate their evolutionary and domestication history, the genetic basis of important traits, and the use of variation present in landraces and wild relatives to enhance resilience. In this context, we aim to provide an overview of the main genetic resources developed for lentil and their main outcomes, and to suggest protocols for continued work on this important crop. Lens culinaris is the third-most-important cool-season grain and its use is increasing as a quick-cooking, nutritious, plant-based source of protein. L. culinaris was domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, and six additional wild taxa (L. orientalis, L. tomentosus, L. odemensis, L. lamottei, L. ervoides, and L. nigricans) are recognized. Numerous genetic diversity studies have shown that wild relatives present high levels of genetic variation and provide a reservoir of alleles that can be used for breeding programs. Furthermore, the integration of genetics/genomics and breeding techniques has resulted in identification of quantitative trait loci and genes related to attributes of interest. Genetic maps, massive genotyping, marker-assisted selection, and genomic selection are some of the genetic resources generated and applied in lentil. In addition, despite its size (∼4 Gbp) and complexity, the L. culinaris genome has been assembled, allowing a deeper understanding of its architecture. Still, major knowledge gaps exist in lentil, and a deeper understanding and characterization of germplasm resources, including wild relatives, is critical to lentil breeding and improvement. © 2021 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Recording of lentil seed descriptors Basic Protocol 2: Lentil seed imaging Basic Protocol 3: Lentil seed increase Basic Protocol 4: Recording of primary lentil seed INCREASE descriptors.

Evaluation of genetic diversity in some promising varieties of lentil using karyological characters and protein profiling

Somatic chromosome study from root tip cells using the squash technique of the cytological method and seed protein profile of 5 varieties of Lens culinaris (Lentil) through SDS–PAGE were investigated. Karyotype analysis showed gross uniformity in morphology. Somatic chromosome number 2n = 14 is constant for all the varieties. Chromosomes are mostly long to medium in length with secondary constrictions in one pair of chromosome. Primary constrictions in chromosome ranged from nearly median to nearly submedian in most of the cases. Notwithstanding the gross homogeneity, karyotype analysis revealed minute differences in details. Each lentil variety is thus characterized by its own karyotype, serving as one of the identifying criteria. The seed protein profile revealed that varieties are very close to each other with respect to similarity index that ranged from 0.594 to 0.690. With regard to seed protein banding patterns, slight polymorphism (14.285%) indicating low genetic diversity has been identified among the 5 varieties. A dendrogram indicates one variety is plesiomorphic and rest varieties are apomorphic. All the experimental varieties of lentil studied here show low genetic diversity due to their similar genetic base, indigenous genetic resources and conservative nature of the seed protein.

Lens culinaris Medik. seed proteome: analysis to identify landrace markers

Unlike modern cultivars selected for their growth performances in specific environmental conditions, local landraces have a high genetic variability that is an important resource for plant breeding. Consequent to their high adaptation to different environmental conditions, these landraces may have evolved adaptive gene complexes To promote the survival of endangered lentil landraces, we previously investigated the genetic relationship between two ancient landraces cultivated in the Molise region (Capracotta and Conca Casale, south-central Italy) and widely spread commercial varieties using an integrated approach consisting of morphological, DNA and protein characterization. In the present study, we used a proteomic approach to compare the mature seed proteomes of the Capracotta and Conca Casale lentil landraces. Multivariate analysis of 145 differentially expressed protein spots demonstrated that 52 proteins are required to discriminate among the two landraces. Therefore, these 52 proteins can be considered "landrace markers". The results of this study show that the combination of proteomics and multivariate analysis can be used to identify physiological and/or environmental markers, and is thus a powerful tool that complements the analysis of biodiversity in plant ecotypes.