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A comprehensive understanding of crop responses to diverse environments is essential for designing efficient breeding programs. Currently, such insights are lacking for large-seeded lentils under Indian climatic conditions. Given that, this study aimed to assess the impacts of diverse climatic conditions on phenological developments and yield of large-seeded lentils. This study also aimed to determine genotype-by-environment interaction (GEI), identify mega-environments, and determine ideal testing locations to enhance the efficiency of national breeding programs. For this, diverse sets of large-seeded lentil genotypes were tested across multiple locations spanning three agroclimatic zones of India: North Hill Zone (NHZ), North Western Plain Zone (NWPZ), and Central Zone (CZ). Substantial variability was observed in days to flowering (53–147 days), maturity duration (87–200 days), reproductive period (33–65 days), grain yield (0.77–2.18 t ha−1), and 100-seed weight (2.3–4.5 g) across locations. Environment factors were the dominant contributor to the yield variability (58 %), followed by GEI (28 %), with minimal genotypic effect (8 %). The CZ exhibited higher mean yields (1.47 t ha−1) with minimal intra-zonal variations, while NHZ had a lower mean yield (1.04 t ha−1). Low-temperature conditions, particularly lower maximum temperatures during the flowering and reproductive periods (TMAXF, TMAXRP), and low cumulative heat units were associated with reduced yields. Stepwise regression analysis identified cumulative growing degree-days during the vegetative period (GDDV) in NHZ and NWPZ, and TMAXRP in CZ, as the important yield-determining factors. Extended vegetative and maturity duration negatively impacted the grain yield, whereas a significant positive correlation was observed between the reproductive period and 100-seed weight (r = +0.347, p

Abstract Urdbean or blackgram is one of the important multi‐season pulse crops grown in India. Improved seed quality and resistance to Mungbean yellow mosaic India virus (MYMIV) are the important objectives of the urdbean breeding program. For this, knowledge of inheritance for seed quality traits and MYMIV resistance is essentially required. Therefore, an attempt has been made to understand the inheritance of seed traits like seed luster, seed coat color, mosaic on seed surface, and MYMIV reaction using intra‐ and inter‐specific bi‐parental populations. The inheritance results revealed that in DPU88‐31 × LBG‐685 population, the shining seed registered dominance over the dull trait, while the green seed coat color exhibited dominance over the brown seed coat color. However, the inter‐specific F2 population derived from IPU11‐02 × Pant M 6 deviated significantly from Mendelian ratios and supported severe segregation distortion for seed traits, while the mosaic on seed coat or mottling character studied in interspecific population demonstrated a dominant digenic inheritance pattern. In five inter‐ and intra‐specific F2 populations, MYMIV resistance demonstrated monogenic dominant inheritance, which was also validated in F3 generations. Furthermore, linkage analysis exhibited an association between seed luster and seed coat color, while no association was noticed between seed traits and MYMIV resistance. The normality tests revealed that seed width and 100 seeds weight were controlled by a few major genes, while other quantitative traits were governed by many genes with small additive effects. The skewness suggested that complementary gene interactions were present among genes controlling 100 seed weight in the intra‐specific cross, while duplicate gene interactions were involved in the inter‐specific cross. The identified monogenic traits and linked morphological marker after further enrichment of the linkage group could be used as an important tool in the regular breeding program.

In the present study, the viability of 36 high yielding lentil cultivars were tested at an interval of 0 (before storage), 1, 2, 3 and 4 years of storage. In all the tested varieties, themean viability was 85, 94, 94, 93 and 50% when stored for 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 years, respectively. Lentil being an orthodox seed can be stored well up to three years maintaining viability above the minimum requirement (75%) as per Indian Minimum Seed Certification Standards (IMSCS). Therefore, it is recommended to store the seeds of these varieties up to three years, except for VL 507, under ambient conditions. Notably, the seeds of nine varieties namely IPL 406, PL 639, Asha, PL 77-12, Ranjan, NDL 1, VL 103, WBL 77 and KLS 218 could be stored for more than 4 years. These varieties are identified with better storage ability and could be embraced as donors in lentil breeding program for developing cultivars with better storage efficiency.

Terminal heat stress severely affects field pea production in tropical climates. Identifying and characterizing marker-trait(s) remain vital for breeding heat-tolerant cultivars of field pea. Field pea genotypes are highly variable for plant stature; however, the significance of plant stature for yield stability under high-temperature conditions is not yet well understood. The study aimed to investigate the sensitivity and significance of plant stature toward yield sustainability of field pea under high-temperature environments. A panel of 150 diverse genotypes with variable plant statures [dwarf (

Although chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) has high yield potential, its seed yield is often low and unstable due to the impact of abiotic stresses, such as drought and heat. As a result of global warming, both drought and heat are estimated to be major yield constraints between one-quarter and one-third per annum. In the present review, genomic-mediated breeding strategies to increase resilience against global warming. Exacerbated drought and heat stresses have been examined to understand the latest advancement happening for better management of these challenges. Resistance mechanisms for drought and heat stresses consist of (i) escape via earliness, (ii) avoidance via morphological traits such as better root traits, compound leaves, or multipinnate leaves and double-/multiple-podded traits, and (iii) tolerance via molecular and physiological traits, such as special tissue and cellular abilities. Both stresses in chickpeas are quantitatively governed by minor genes and are profoundly influenced by edaphic and other environmental conditions. High-yield genotypes have traditionally been screened for resistance to drought and heat stresses in the target selection environment under stress conditions or in the simulacrum mediums under controlled conditions. There are many drought- and heat-tolerant genotypes among domestic and wild Cicer chickpeas, especially in accessions of C. reticulatum Ladiz., C. echinospermum P.H. Davis, and C. turcicum Toker, J. Berger, and Gokturk. The delineation of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and genes allied to drought- and heat-related attributes have paved the way for designing stress-tolerant cultivars in chickpeas. Transgenic and “omics” technologies hold newer avenues for the basic understanding of background metabolic exchanges of QTLs/candidate genes for their further utilization. The overview of the effect of drought and heat stresses, its mechanisms/adaptive strategies, and markers linked to stress-related traits with their genetics and sources are pre-requisites for framing breeding programs of chickpeas with the intent of imparting drought tolerance. Ideotype chickpeas for resistance to drought and heat stresses were, therefore, developed directly using marker-aided selection over multiple locations. The current understanding of molecular breeding supported by functional genomics and omics technologies in developing drought- and heat-tolerant chickpea is discussed in this review.

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) is one of the most important and productive cool season pulse crops grown throughout the world. Biotic stresses are the crucial constraints in harnessing the potential productivity of pea and warrant dedicated research and developmental efforts to utilize omics resources and advanced breeding techniques to assist rapid and timely development of high-yielding multiple stress-tolerant–resistant varieties. Recently, the pea researcher’s community has made notable achievements in conventional and molecular breeding to accelerate its genetic gain. Several quantitative trait loci (QTLs) or markers associated with genes controlling resistance for fusarium wilt, fusarium root rot, powdery mildew, ascochyta blight, rust, common root rot, broomrape, pea enation, and pea seed borne mosaic virus are available for the marker-assisted breeding. The advanced genomic tools such as the availability of comprehensive genetic maps and linked reliable DNA markers hold great promise toward the introgression of resistance genes from different sources to speed up the genetic gain in pea. This review provides a brief account of the achievements made in the recent past regarding genetic and genomic resources’ development, inheritance of genes controlling various biotic stress responses and genes controlling pathogenesis in disease causing organisms, genes/QTLs mapping, and transcriptomic and proteomic advances. Moreover, the emerging new breeding approaches such as transgenics, genome editing, genomic selection, epigenetic breeding, and speed breeding hold great promise to transform pea breeding. Overall, the judicious amalgamation of conventional and modern omics-enabled breeding strategies will augment the genetic gain and could hasten the development of biotic stress-resistant cultivars to sustain pea production under changing climate. The present review encompasses at one platform the research accomplishment made so far in pea improvement with respect to major biotic stresses and the way forward to enhance pea productivity through advanced genomic tools and technologies.

Seed longevity mainly depends on initial seed quality and storage conditions therefore; farmers and gene bank curators need to be aware of the storage potential of rajmash cultivars that contribute to the production of high quality seed during routine germplasm regeneration/multiplication. Consequently, it is important to generate information on seed longevity of rajmash. In the present investigation, 14 high yielding rajmash cultivars were stored for 4 years and periodical germination percent, time to initiate germination (t1), time to achieve 50% germination (t50) and uniformity of germination (U7525; time between 25 and 75 % germination) were recorded. The varieties exhibited the mean germination percentage of 93, 93, 73, 3 and 0.9 when stored for 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 years, respectively. The results demonstrated that, all the 14 varieties could be safely stored for a minimum period of 1 year at ambient condition. Seven varieties (Arka Komal, IPR 98-5, IPR 98-3-1, HUR 137, HUR 203, HPR 35, Gujarat Rajmash 1) could be stored for 2 years as they demonstrated more than the minimum germination requirement (75%) of Indian Minimum Seed Certification Standard. Storing seeds for extended period not only decreased the final germination percentage, but also increased the time for t1, t50 and t7525, suggesting that use of aged seeds could result into poor field establishment coupled with delayed and non-uniform germination.

Grass pea offers an attractive choice for sustainable food production, owing to its intrinsic properties including limited water requirement and drought tolerance. However, low productivity and the presence of a neurotoxin (ODAP) have posed major obstacles to its genetic improvement. Also, biotechnological investments remain limited and the genome is complex and not well understood. Strategies that allow identification of genotypes with reduced ODAP content, coupling of low ODAP content with enhanced yield, and effective seed detoxification methods merit immediate attention. Breeder-friendly genomic tools are being increasingly made available to improve the efficiency of breeding protocols. To this end, the application of next-generation sequencing has provided a means of leveraging the repertoire of genomic resources for this somewhat neglected crop. In this review, we describe progress achieved in Lathyrus genetic improvement. We also explore potential opportunities in Lathyrus research and identify urgent research needs.