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Lens culinaris , commonly known as lentils, has undergone extensive research to uncover its multifaceted nature, delve into its rich traditional applications, and explore its modern therapeutic potential. This leguminous plant holds a central role in global culinary traditions, revered for its exceptional versatility as a nourishing ingredient. Recent scientific investigations have unveiled the latent medicinal properties of lentils, primarily through the meticulous isolation and identification of bioactive compounds. Noteworthy examples of these bioactive constituents include arbutin, β-sitosterol, uridine, trigonelline, and kaempferol, each capturing researchers' attention due to their remarkable health-enhancing attributes. These compounds exhibit a wide spectrum of benefits, ranging from potent antioxidant effects and anti-inflammatory properties to cholesterol-lowering capabilities and even potential anti-cancer properties. This article offers a comprehensive overview of Lens culinaris, spanning its global geographical distribution. It not only underscores the enduring significance of lentils in traditional culinary practices but also highlights their contemporary therapeutic potential. Furthermore, it delves into the chemical identities and structures of these bioactive compounds, shedding light on their pivotal role in promoting health and well-being. [Display omitted] • Lentil, a nutrient-rich legume is widely cultivated in Canada and India. • Traditionally used in gut, skin, blood diseases, also in snake bites and blister. • Significant anticancer, anti-obesity, and cardioprotective attributes are observed. • Isolated active constituents include arbutin, kaempferol, uridine, and β-sitosterol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of two different extraction methods (alkaline extraction isoelectric precipitation––AEIP and salt extraction dialysis––SE) on the production of protein isolates from four different pulse types grown in Canada (yellow pea-YP, green lentil-GL, chickpea-CH and navy bean-NB) were studied for their physicochemical, functional, and nutritional properties. The extraction method and type of pulse had an effect on protein and extraction yields. The method used for extraction had an influence on the surface properties as well as the functionality of the isolated proteins. SE-produced isolates presented higher solubility, foaming capacity and emulsion activity than those prepared through AEIP. Protein quality results showed that higher in-vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) and in-vitro protein digestibility corrected amino-acid scores (IV-PDCAAS) were achieved for proteins obtained through AEIP than those prepared for SE samples. The current study contributes to a better understanding of the effects of extraction methods on the resulting protein characteristics and properties of different pulses grown in Canada, which can impact their suitability for different product applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stemphylium blight caused by Stemphylium botryosum, is a foliar disease of lentil. It affects the productivity and milling quality of lentil crops, mainly in South Asia and Canada. Development of stemphylium blight resistant cultivars by introgression of resistance alleles from crop wild relatives of lentil, such as Lens ervoides, is one strategy of disease control. The objective of this study was to identify genomic regions associated with stemphylium blight resistance by combining linkage mapping and marker-trait association analysis. A total of 182 genotypes of a lentil advanced backcross population (LABC-01) developed from the backcross of the interspecific L. culinaris × L. ervoides line LR-59-81 (donor) and cultivar CDC Redberry (recurrent) and 101 diverse lentil accessions selected by stratified random sampling from a lentil diversity panel were genotyped and evaluated for stemphylium blight reactions. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis identified four loci contributing to stemphylium blight resistance on lentil chromosomes 2, 4 and 5. Marker trait association analysis detected five significant single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers associated with stemphylium blight resistance within QTLs regions and seven SNP markers outside the QTLs regions on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7. The markers associated with stemphylium blight resistance may be useful for marker-assisted selection of resistant cultivars after validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starch and fibre contribute to the energy components and add functionality to the end-product feed ingredients. An understanding of the impact of processing on carbohydrate content will support accurate formulation of feed. Six ingredients, grown or sourced in Canada, were used in this study. They included five pulses, Amarillo peas, Dun peas, chickpeas, lentils, and faba beans, and soybean meal (SBM) as a comparison. All ingredients were ground into fine or coarse products and then pelleted at one of three different temperatures. Grinding reduced the total starch (TS) content of Amarillo peas and chickpeas (P < 0.05), crude fibre (CF) in Dun peas (P < 0.05), and total dietary fibre (TDF) and insoluble fibre (IDF) in lentils (P < 0.05). Grinding only affected soluble fibre (SDF) in chickpeas. The effect of pelleting was variable for TDF across pulses. Pelleting did not affect the SDF content of pulses (P > 0.05). Finely processed SBM had higher (P < 0.05) TS, TDF, and IDF content than coarsely processed SBM. Results indicate that grinding and pelleting could affect the starch and fibre composition of some pulses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The individual nitrogen (N) contribution from above-ground plant residue (AGR P) and total below-ground residuals (BGR T) to a subsequent wheat crop remains poorly explored. The need to understand this dynamic is crucial for optimizing crop yield and soil nutrient management. This study aimed to discern the individual N contributions from AGR P and BGR T to a succeeding wheat crop and understand the implications of various grain legume residues on these contributions. A four-year field study consisting of two 2-year grain legume–cereal cropping sequences was conducted in Saskatoon, SK, Canada. The grain legumes were chickpea, faba bean, lentil, and field pea, with spring wheat grown as the reference crop in 2014 and 2016. Each plot was split into quadrants with one quadrant receiving 15N-urea and the other three receiving non-labeled (natural abundance, NA) urea in spring of the pulse phase. After pulse harvest, 15N-AGR P was swapped with NA-AGR P when returned to the field, resulting in sub-plots with 15N-AGR P /NA-BGR T and NA-AGR P /15N-BGR T combinations. In 2015 and 2017 all plots were planted with spring wheat and were fertilized based on soil mineral N measurements and target yields. One NA quadrant received 15N-urea during the cereal phase to track the fate of fertilizer N versus legume N. Grain legume residue species did not affect the seed yield of the subsequent wheat crop. However, wheat grown on lentil and pea residue required less N fertilizer than other residues. Over the five tested residues, BGR T (roots, rhizodeposits, residual fertilizer, and soil) was the largest N source, accounting for 70–91% of wheat N uptake, which surpassed the combination of the contribution from AGR P (1–11% of wheat N uptake) and fertilizer (5–21% of the wheat N uptake). Among BGR components, soil was the main N contributor to subsequent wheat. The N recovery rates for the wheat crop were below 9% for AGR P , 18% for BGR T , and 26% for fertilizer N. Below-ground residue, particularly the soil, plays a pivotal role in regulating N supply to the succeeding wheat crop, overshadowing contributions from AGR and fertilizer. This research underscores the significance of BGR, especially the soil, in N management for subsequent crops. Recognizing these dynamics can help tailor crop residue management strategies and optimize soil nutrient supply for subsequent crops. • Quantified N contribution from above- and below-ground residues for five crops. • Lentil and pea residues enhance wheat N uptake due to rapid below-ground residue decomposition. • BGR, including roots and soil, is the primary N source (70–91%). • Above-ground residue provides limited N supply (1–11%). • Emphasizes BGR's pivotal role in sustainable N supply to crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colletotrichum lentis is an important pathogen of lentils in Canada causing the disease anthracnose. Fungicide applications are an important tool for the control of this disease and, historically, QoI fungicidegdels have been used intensively. Reduced field efficacy of QoI fungicides on C. lentis has been reported recently and could be linked to the presence of QoI resistant isolates. In this study, the cytochrome b gene of C. lentis was sequenced, and the mutation G143A was identified as the causal resistance mechanism. Furthermore, a sensitive and reliable molecular biological assay was developed for the quantitative detection of the G143A mutation by pyrosequencing in field samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under cool and wet conditions, high levels of botrytis grey mould (BGM) can occur on lentil in western Canada. Identification of local Botrytis isolates from lentil based on conidial morphology (N = 74) and sequence analysis (N = 5) indicated that B. cinerea was the predominant cause of BGM in this region. Eight field experiments at two sites (Saskatoon, SK and Outlook, SK) over two seasons were conducted to evaluate the optimal timing of the fungicide boscalid for the control of BGM in the lentil cultivar 'CDC Grandora'. Weather conditions limited disease development in one year, but moderate levels were observed in four experiments in the other year. In all experiments, a single application at mid-flower in early-seeded experiments and at early flower in late-seeded experiments was as efficacious as a double or triple application of boscalid. There were no differences among double application treatments, and at Outlook they were all as efficacious in lowering BGM as the triple application. Despite some differences in BGM severity among fungicide applications, none of the treatments had an effect on yield or seed infection, and there was no correlation between petal colonization by B. cinerea and BGM disease severity under the study conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stemphylium blight (SB) (Stemphylium botryosum) is a major disease of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) in many global production regions. In Canada, SB typically occurs after canopy closure in the second half of the growing season when weather conditions become warm and humid. Experiments were carried out to assess the impact of SB disease on milling qualities of lentil. In 2014, milling qualities of red lentils were compared between seed obtained from an uninfected site and those produced at a naturally SB-infected site. In 2016 and 2017, controlled field experiments were conducted by artificially inoculating the plots with SB conidia at the early flowering stage. Seed yield in the infected plots was reduced by 52, 22, and 30% compared with control plots in 2014, 2016, and 2017, respectively. The percentages of stained and deformed seeds were increased in infected plots in 2016 and 2017. Seeds infected with SB have reduced milling qualities. Dehulling efficiency was reduced by 25.3, 23.0, and 15.9%, and milling recovery was reduced by 23.7, 25.4, and 15.1% compared with the uninfected control plots, respectively, in 2014, 2016, and 2017. Stemphylium blight had minimal impact on football lentil recovery. These results suggest that SB is potentially the leading cause of the reported poor milling quality of Canadian red lentils that reduces the economic value in years when the growing season is favorable for development of SB. These results have major implications for agronomy, pathology, and breeding strategies of the lentil crop in temperate production regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ascochyta lentis causes ascochyta blight in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) and yield loss can be as high as 50%. With careful agronomic management practices, fungicide use, and advances in breeding resistant lentil varieties, disease severity and impact to farmers have been largely controlled. However, evidence from major lentil producing countries, Canada and Australia, suggests that A. lentis isolates can change their virulence profile and level of aggressiveness over time and under different selection pressures. In this paper, we describe the first genome assembly for A. lentis for the Australian isolate Al4, through the integration of data from Illumina and PacBio SMRT sequencing. The Al4 reference genome assembly is almost 42 Mb in size and encodes 11,638 predicted genes. The Al4 genome comprises 21 full-length and gapless chromosomal contigs and two partial chromosome contigs each with one telomere. We predicted 31 secondary metabolite clusters, and 38 putative protein effectors, many of which were classified as having an unknown function. Comparison of A. lentis genome features with the recently published reference assembly for closely related A. rabiei show that genome synteny between these species is highly conserved. However, there are several translocations and inversions of genome sequence. The location of secondary metabolite clusters near transposable element and repeat-rich genomic regions was common for A. lentis as has been reported for other fungal plant pathogens [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) seeds are an excellent source of staple dietary protein that can be a viable plant‐based alternative protein source to food processing industries. Understanding of the basis of genotype × environment (G × E) interaction is fundamental knowledge for plant breeding. We explored genetic stability and G × E for seed protein content and protein yield for 34 lentil genotypes using AMMI (additive main effects and multiplicative interaction) and SREG (site regression) models. Genotypes were evaluated under field conditions in five locations at western Canada during 2017–2018. Protein content and protein yield were 21.6–26.9% of seed dry weight and 156.8–1113.0 kg ha−1, respectively, across 10 environments. Environment and G × E had fewer effects on protein content than protein yield. Higher seed protein content was observed in the extra‐small red market class. Based on both models, genotypes IBC 1235, 3923‐9, 3674‐17, IBC 929R, and 4371‐4 with stable protein productivity would be useful genetic resources for the development of protein‐rich varieties in lentil breeding programs. Our results suggest genetic improvement of protein and protein yield together is possible for lentil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulse crops (PC) have become an essential part of cropping systems in the northern Great Plains. Despite agronomic benefits of rotating pulses with cereal crops, knowledge of the economics of PC frequency and sequence in a rotation is limited. A field study was conducted from 2010 to 2014 at three locations in western Canada to evaluate the effects of rotating a cereal crop with a range of PC at different frequencies and sequences on the economic returns and risk of both the entire rotation and each individual crop. Crops in rotation included spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (W), field pea (Pisum sativum L.) (P), chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) (C), lentil (Lens culinaris Medik) (L), and Oriental mustard (Brassica juncea L.) (M). Thirteen 4‐yr‐cycle crop rotation treatments, along with a continuous wheat treatment as a baseline, were included. Treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replicates at each site‐year. The net revenue (NR) was defined as the income remaining after paying all monetary, land and ownership, and labor costs. Crop rotation had a significant effect on average annual NR. The most profitable rotations were L–L–L–W and P–M–L–W. These rotations provided CAN$330 and $235 yr–1 ha–1 higher NR, respectively, than the baseline, and were most preferable by risk‐averse producers. The economic ranking of the rotations remained the same with different crop price scenarios. Preceding PC also had a positive impact on the succeeding wheat crop NR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum lentis is an important fungal disease of lentil in western Canada. Two known pathogenic C. lentis races, race 0 and race 1 have been identified and current cultivars of lentil have little or no resistance to the virulent race 0. Seven Lens culinaris subsp. culinaris landrace accessions were previously reported to have resistance to C. lentis race 0. In this study, accession VIR-2633, with reported resistance to both races of C. lentis, and seven accessions were assessed for race 0 resistance relative to LR-59-81, an interspecific line derived from a L. culinaris subsp. culinaris × Lens ervoides cross. The results showed a lack of effective resistance to race 0 among the tested L. culinaris accessions when compared to that of LR-59-81. A few sublines displayed modest improvements in resistance compared to the susceptible check 'Eston', but were significantly more susceptible than LR-59-81. Moreover, screening of the sublines of accession VIR-2633 identified 12 sublines with resistance to race 1, but all VIR-2633 sublines were susceptible to race 0. The study underlined the importance of wild lentil germplasm for broadening the genetic base of cultivated lentil and their usefulness in disease screening experiments as positive checks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Plant Science is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Colletotrichum lentis is a fungal pathogen of lentil in Canada but rarely reported elsewhere. Two races, Ct0 and Ct1, have been identified using differential lines. Our objective was to develop a PCR-probe differentiating these races. Sequences of the translation elongation factor 1α (tef1α), RNA polymerase II subunit B2 (rpb2), ATP citrate lyase subunit A (acla), and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions were monomorphic, while the intergenic spacer (IGS) region showed length polymorphisms at two minisatellites of 23 and 39 nucleotides (nt). A PCR-probe (39F/R) amplifying the 39 nt minisatellite was developed which subsequently revealed 1–5 minisatellites with 1–12 repeats in C. lentis. The probe differentiated race Ct1 isolates having 7, 9 or 7+9 repeats from race Ct0 having primarily 2 or 4 repeats, occasionally 5, 6, or 8, but never 7 or 9 repeats. These isolates were collected between 1991 and 1999. In a 2012 survey isolates with 2 and 4 repeats increased from 34% to 67%, while isolated with 7 or 9 repeats decreased from 40 to 4%, likely because Ct1 resistant lentil varieties had been grown. The 39 nt repeat was identified in C. gloeosporioides, C. trifolii, Ascochyta lentis, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Botrytis cinerea. Thus, the 39F/R PCR probe is not species specific, but can differentiate isolates based on repeat number. The 23 nt minisatellite in C. lentis exists as three length variants with ten sequence variations differentiating race Ct0 having 14 or 19 repeats from race Ct1 having 17 repeats, except for one isolate. RNA-translation of 23 nt repeats forms hairpins and has the appropriate length to suggest that IGS could be a site of small RNA synthesis, a hypothesis that warrants further investigation. Small RNA from fungal plant pathogens able to silence genes either in the host or pathogen thereby aiding infection have been reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Geographical Discrimination study for the traceability of Italian lentils. • Chemometric elaboration of the Mid-Infrared spectroscopic lentil profiles. • The discriminant approach correctly recognized 98.8% of the test samples. Three hundred forty-six (3 4 6) samples of lentils have been collected and analyzed by ATR-MIR spectroscopy. Of the investigated individuals, 283 were harvested in two Central-Italy regions (Umbria and Abruzzo), whereas the others were grown in Canada. At first, Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) was used to discriminate samples among the three origins. The outcome of PLS-DA analysis was noteworthy: only one individual (over 86 of the external test set) was erroneously assigned by the model, indicating the suitability of the proposed approach. Furthermore, Variable Importance in Projection (VIP) was exploited to inquire which spectral variables significantly contribute to the discrimination. Eventually, the focus has been circumscribed to two categories of high-valued lentils, e.g., lentils from Castelluccio di Norcia (CDN), a sub-set of the Umbria class, and from Santo Stefano di Sessanio (SSS), a sub-set of the Abruzzo class. These are of particular interest because CDN presents the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) while SSS belongs to the Slow Food Presidium. The models for these classes provided interesting results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Understanding the profile of lipophilic phytochemicals in lentils is necessary to better understand the health benefits of lentils. The fatty acid, carotenoid and tocopherol compositions and antioxidant activities of the lipophilic extracts of 20 lentil cultivars (10 red and 10 green) were therefore examined. Lentils contained 1.52–2.95% lipids, of which 77.5–81.7% were unsaturated essential fatty acids. Total tocopherols ranged from 37 to 64μg/g DW, predominantly γ-tocopherol (96–98% of the tocopherol content), followed by δ- and α-tocopherol. trans-Lutein was the primary and major carotenoid (64–78%) followed by trans-zeaxanthin (5–13%). Carotenoids and tocopherols showed weak correlation with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) activity (r =0.4893 and 0.3259, respectively), but good correlation when combined (r =0.6688), suggesting they may act synergistically. Carotenoids were found to contribute the most to the strong antioxidant activity measured by photochemiluminescence (PCL) assay. Results from this study contribute to the development of lentil cultivars and related functional foods with increased health benefits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The mineral content of pulses grown in Saskatchewan, Canada, was examined for magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, manganese, copper, selenium, and in some cases nickel and calcium. Eight to 18 cultivars of each of field pea (Pisum sativum), common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), chickpea (Cicer arietinum), and lentil (Lens culinaris) were grown at several locations in southern Saskatchewan in 2005 and 2006 in randomized complete block designs with three replicates. Mineral content was examined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The pulses were found to contain significant proportions of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for all the tested minerals except calcium. In many cases a 100 g (dry weight) portion of the crop provided over 50% of the RDA. For selenium, pulses grown in some locations provided 100% of the RDA. The effect of location was highly significant in most instances, while that of year and cultivar were generally less so. Pairwise differences among cultivars were examined by Tukey's test. Where possible, crops grown side by side were compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reduced nitrogen (N) uptake and N2fixation during the reproductive growth may reduce the yield in lentil. Five cultivars were grown in two soil media and four N treatments of an inoculated control (NI), and receiving N until flowering (NF), podding (NP) and maturity (NM) in Saskatchewan, Canada. The NF treatment produced the lowest yield, and plants relying on fixation grew larger and yielded more. But NI produced less growth and yield than NP and NM plants, demonstrating that N2fixation needed improvement for maximal yield. The NP treatment produced the highest yield and more efficiently used N than the later N application in NM. Nitrogen applied at and after mid-pod extended the days to maturity by increasing the reproductive growth period and post-flowering vegetative biomass. Current lentil cultivars require N supply up to at least the mid-pod stage, although the exact stage and timing of N supply need refinement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Plant Science is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichurn truncatum (Ct), is a major disease of lentil (Lens culinaris ssp. culinaris Medik.; Lcc) on the Canadian prairies. Resistance to the more virulent race Ct0 of the pathogen is extremely rare within the Lcc gene pool; partial resistance to race Ct0 in Lcc breaks down as the plant progresses through the adult phase (AP). Resistance was introgressed from Lens ervoides (Le) and the F1 and F2 generations of two introgression populations assessed for resistance when inoculated separately with both races of Ct. One population was tested with race Ct0 at both the juvenile phase (JP) and AR F2:3 families wore also tested for race Ct0 resistance. Resistance from Le to both races of Ct appears to be due to the same gene(s) or tightly linked genes. Different models for genetic control of resistance between populations are observed depending on whether the interspecific line is crossed into a susceptible or partially resistant Lcc background; however, duplicate recessive epistasis seems to control susceptibility in the susceptible background and when juvenile resistance is not a factor. Significant differences between phases were evident for more than a third of the F2s tested, supporting different resistance gene action based on growth phase; resistance in the JP seemed to be due to dominant and recessive epistasis. Results suggest genetic control of juvenile resistance in combination with interspecific-derived resistance is complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand how pulse and oilseed crops might use nitrogen (N) more efficiently under varying levels of water and N availability in soil, we conducted a 2-year field study to monitor N accumulation in aboveground (AG-N) and root material at five growth stages, for canola ( Brassica napus L.), mustard ( Brassica juncea L.), chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.), dry pea ( Pisum sativum L.) and lentil ( Lens culinaris Medicum) alongside spring wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.). Crops were grown in lysimeters (15 cm diameter × 100 cm deep) installed in the field in southern Saskatchewan, Canada. AG-N in all crops was greater under high-water than under low-water conditions. In oilseeds and wheat, AG-N increased until flowering then tended to level off, while in pulses it increased gradually to maturity. At maturity, dry pea and wheat had the greatest AG-N and mustard the least. Enhanced water availability increased seed N but did not affect straw N; consequently, N harvest index was greater under high-water than under low-water conditions. Root N increased until late-flowering or late-pod (dough stage in wheat) then decreased to maturity. Mustard had the lowest root N, chickpea the second lowest, and canola, wheat, dry pea, and lentil the highest. Improved water availability increased root N for oilseeds and wheat but did not affect root N in pulses. At maturity, average root N of oilseeds, pulses, and wheat was 14, 17, and 20 kg ha-1, respectively. At the seedling stage pulse crops had about 27% of total plant N in their roots, a much greater proportion than for the non-legumes. However, by maturity all crops had about 14% of plant N in their roots. Soil NO3-N increased gradually between seedling and maturity in non-legumes but in pulses there was a sharp spike at early flowering. Estimated apparent net N mineralized was similar for wheat and pulse crops which were greater than for canola and mustard. Soil N amounts and temporal change patterns varied substantially among crops evaluated, and these differences need to be considered in the development of diverse cropping systems where cereals, legumes, and oilseeds are included in rotation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lentil, Lens culinaris subsp. culinaris Medic., is an important legume crop on the Canadian prairies. Anthracnose, a fungal disease caused by Colletotrichum truncatum (Schwein.) Andrus & W.D. Moore, is a major barrier to seed yield and quality in lentil. Pathogenicity testing has revealed two races, Ct1 and Ct0, of C. truncatum in western Canada. No cultivar or landrace of cultivated lentil has been reported with resistance to anthracnose race Ct0. A search for Ct0 resistance in the wild species identified a high frequency of resistant accessions in Lens ervoides (Brign.) Grande. To incorporate higher levels of resistance from L. ervoides to the two races of anthracnose, a cross was made between a susceptible L. culinaris cultivar, Eston, and a resistant accession of L. ervoides germplasm, L-01-827A, which has both Ct0 and Ct1 resistance. Embryo rescue technique was used to obtain an F1 hybrid. Single-seed descent was used to advance the individual F2 plants to F7:8 recombinant inbred lines. Evidence of transfer of resistance to both anthracnose races Ct1 and Ct0 from the wild species to cultivated lentil is presented. Chi-square tests of goodness of fit indicated that resistance to race Ct1 and race Ct0 may be conferred by two recessive genes. However, these results may be skewed due to variable fertility encountered in development of the population. Selection of resistant lines for use in pyramiding genes in breeding programs should result in a more durable level of resistance to anthracnose in lentil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic variation of 30 different Uromyces isolates collected on faba bean, lentil, common vetch, pea, chickpea, alfalfa, cowpea and lupin was studied. Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA markers were used showing clear differences among Uromyces species. Uromyces viciae-fabae isolates clustered according to the host, with a clear cluster including all U. viciae-fabae ex Vicia faba isolates. The U. viciae-fabae ex Lens culinaris isolate was the nearest to the cluster of U. viciae faba ex V. faba isolates, followed by U. pisi from Canada and U. viciae-fabae ex V. sativa. No association was found among molecular diversity and virulence or geographic origin within U. vicia-fabae ex V. faba isolates. Among the three U. pisi isolates considered, a great variability was observed and no grouping could be established. The most different isolate from the rest of species considered was U. striatus, followed by U. vignae. The two U. ciceris-arietini isolates clustered together and so did the two U. lupinicolus isolates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of beneficial soil microorganisms as agricultural inputs for improved crop production requires selection of rhizosphere-competent microorganisms with plant growth-promoting attributes. A collection of 563 bacteria originating from the roots of pea, lentil, and chickpea grown in Saskatchewan was screened for several plant growth-promoting traits, for suppression of legume fungal pathogens, and for plant growth promotion. Siderophore production was detected in 427 isolates (76%), amino-cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase activity in 29 isolates (5%), and indole production in 38 isolates (7%). Twenty-six isolates (5%) suppressed the growth of Pythium sp. strain p88-p3, 40 isolates (7%) suppressed the growth of Fusarium avenaceum, and 53 isolates (9%) suppressed the growth of Rhizoctonia solani CKP7. Seventeen isolates (3%) promoted canola root elongation in a growth pouch assay, and of these, 4 isolates promoted the growth of lentil and one isolate promoted the growth of pea. Fatty acid profile analysis and 16S rRNA sequencing of smaller subsets of the isolates that were positive for the plant growth-promotion traits tested showed that 39%-42% were members of the Pseudomonadaceae and 36%-42% of the Enterobacteriaceae families. Several of these isolates may have potential for development as biofertilizers or biopesticides for western Canadian legume crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new zone, the Reticulatisporites carnosus Assemblage Zone of late Pendleian to Arnsbergian age, is proposed for miospore assemblages in the Searston Formation of the Barachois Group and in unnamed coal-bearing strata in higher portions of the group. The beds containing the zone can be correlated with those in other parts of the Euramerican floral province in western Europe (including the North Sea), where the climate was semi-humid. Temporal relationships suggested by these new biostratigraphic data indicate that a reassessment of the regional lithostratigraphy of southwestern Newfoundland is required. The Overfall Brook Member of the Robinsons River Formation, formerly assigned with its correlative, the Brow Pond Lentil, to the Codroy Group, is here identified as a basal unit of the Searston Formation. It lies unconformably on Codroy Group beds of Brigantian age. Elsewhere, the basal beds of the Barachois Group lie unconformably on pre-Carboniferous rocks. The Barachois Group in the Codroy and St. George’s Bay lowlands correlates with the Humber Falls and Howley formations of the Deer Lake Subbasin of western Newfoundland and with the Pomquet Formation of the Mabou Group, Nova Scotia. The Pendleian–Arnsbergian coal-bearing strata high in the undivided Barachois Group predate the post-Arnsbergian major floral crisis and, with their correlatives, represent the youngest known rock units of Mississippian age in Atlantic Canada. They are significantly older than the Pennsylvanian coal measures of Moscovian (Bolsovian) age in a small outlier near Stephenville, and we recommend the latter be removed from the Barachois Group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Seed colour and size determine the appearance of grain legumes such as lentils (Lens culinaris Medik.). Currently, these characteristics are assessed by visual inspection of grain; it is slow and subjective, for this reason an objective imaging system was developed in Canada to measure bulk seeds lentil colour and size in a consistent manner for lentil quality colour grading. The Canadian imaging method, using image captured by a flatbed scanner, was modified in collaboration with the Stazione Sperimentale di Granicoltura (Research Institute in Sicily) to measure seed size, shape and mean colour on individual seeds; each seed imaging data were computed with a Linear Discriminant Analysis (Classifier) to identify five Sicilian landraces of Lens culinaris Medik., precisely Aragona, Bronte, Leonforte, Ustica and Villalba and three common Canadian accessions, cv Laird, cv Crimson and cv Eston. The performance of the classifier was 99.8% for the training sets and 97.1% for the independent test set. In addition to commercial international trade, lentil seed characterisation is very important to identify and catalogue in a biodiversity conservation program. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Geographical classification and authentication of lentils (Lens culinaris Medik.) was attempted by discriminant and modelling pattern-recognition methods applied to multi-elemental composition determined by means of inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). After microwave-assisted digestion, the content of 15 elements was determined in 89 Italian lentil samples produced in three relatively close areas of the Central Apennines (Castelluccio di Norcia, Colfiorito and Santo Stefano di Sessanio) and 20 samples imported from Canada. Preliminary exploration of the ICP-OES data revealed a visible effect of the production year on the mineral composition. A good geographical classification of the lentil samples was obtained by discriminant approaches. Class models generated by Soft Independent Model Class Analogy presented high sensitivity (all the calibration and external samples were correctly accepted by the target classes) and good specificity since most of non-compliant samples were refused by each of the four modelled classes. • The major mineral elements of lentils were determined by ICP-OES analysis. • Geographical classification of Italian and imported lentils was performed. • Efficient class models allowed authentication of certified lentil varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichoderma species are opportunistic plant symbionts that are common in the root and rhizosphere ecosystems. Many Trichoderma species may enhance plant growth, nutrient acquisition, and disease resistance, and for these reasons, they are widely used in agriculture as biofertilizers or biocontrol agents. Host plant genotype and other microorganisms, such as root pathogens, may influence the efficacy of Trichoderma inoculants. Aphanomyces euteiches is an important soil-borne oomycete in western Canada that causes root rot in legume crops such as lentil and pea, and there is not yet any significantly resistant varieties or effective treatments available to control the disease. In this study, the composition of root-associated fungal communities and the abundance of Trichoderma species, T. harzianum strain T-22 and T. virens strain G41, was determined in the roots of eight Lens genotypes based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) Illumina MiSeq paired-end sequencing, both in the presence and the absence of the root rot pathogen Aphanomyces euteiches. Biocontrol effects of T. harzianum on A. euteiches was also examined. Significant genotypic variations were observed in the composition of root-associated fungal communities and the abundance of the different Trichoderma species in the lentil roots. The presence of A. euteiches altered the composition of Trichoderma found associated to the lentil genotypes. Biocontrol of A. euteiches by T. harzianum T22 species was observed in vitro and positive correlations between the abundance of Trichoderma and plant root and shoot biomass were observed in vivo. These findings revealed that lentil genotype and infection by the phytopathogen A. euteiches greatly influenced the colonization of root-associated fungi and the abundance of the Trichoderma species, as well as the effect on plant growth promotion. The multipartite interactions observed among lentil genotypes, Trichoderma species and A. euteiches suggest possibilities to select compatible host-beneficial microbe combinations in lentil breeding programs and to develop application strategies to harness the beneficial effects of Trichoderma inoculants in sustainable crop production systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our purpose was to determine the effects of a pulse-based diet in individuals 50 years or older for reducing CVD risk factors. A total of 108 participants were randomised to receive pulse-based foods (two servings daily of beans, chickpeas, peas or lentils; about 150 g/d dry weight) or their regular diet for 2 months, followed by a washout of 1 month and a cross-over to the other diet for 2 months. Anthropometric measures, body composition and biochemical markers (i.e. serum LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), as the primary outcome, and other lipids, glucose, insulin and C-reactive protein) were assessed before and after each diet phase. A total of eighty-seven participants (thirty males and fifty-seven females; 59·7 (sd 6·3) years, body mass 76 (sd 16) kg) completed the study. Compared with the regular diet, the pulse-based diet decreased total cholesterol by 8·3 % (pulse, 4·57 (sd 0·93) to 4·11 (sd 0·91) mmol/l; regular, 4·47 (sd 0·94) to 4·39 (sd 0·97) mmol/l; P < 0·001) and LDL-C by 7·9 % (pulse, 2·93 (sd 0·84) to 2·55 (sd 0·75) mmol/l; regular, 2·96 (sd 0·86) to 2·81 (sd 0·83) mmol/l; P = 0·01). In a sub-analysis of individuals with high lipid levels at baseline (twenty individuals with high cholesterol), the pulse-based diet reduced cholesterol by 6 % compared with the regular diet (pulse, 5·62 (sd 0·78) to 5·26 (sd 0·68) mmol/l; regular, 5·60 (sd 0·91) to 5·57 (sd 0·85) mmol/l; P = 0·05). A pulse-based diet is effective for reducing total cholesterol and LDL-C in older adults and therefore reduces the risk of CVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the abstract of the article 'First Report of Pink Seed of Lentil and Chickpea Caused by Erwinia rhapontica in Canada' by H.C. Huang, et al., published electronically in the 'Plant Disease' journal.