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Vertical Farming Systems (VFS) emerge as an approach to optimize plant growth in urban and controlled environments, by enabling sustainable and intensive production in reduced spaces. VFS allow for greater control over growing conditions, such as light, temperature and humidity, resulting in higher quality crops and with less use of resources, such as water and fertilizers. This research investigates the effects of different lighting regimes (Constant and Gaussian) and spectral qualities (white, RBW, blue and red) on the growth, photosynthesis, and biomass accumulation of lentil microgreens (Lens culinaris) in VFS. The results demonstrate that constant lighting regimes, particularly under red, white, and RBW lights, significantly increase biomass production and energy efficiency. On the other hand, the Gaussian regime promotes the accumulation of bioactive compounds such as carotenoids, especially under red light. Chlorophyll content and the photochemical coefficient (qP) also varied across treatments, with significant variations between lighting regimes and spectral combinations. Tailored lighting strategies, adjusted to specific production goals, have the potential to enhance both productivity and nutritional quality in VFS. The analysis contained in the research provides relevant information for optimizing lighting management in controlled agricultural environments, providing practical applications to improve harvest performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faba bean is an important, protein-rich pulse crop grown worldwide, with increasing acreage in Canada in the last 50 years. Stemphylium blight can cause substantial yield losses due to defoliation of the plant. In 2022, high incidence levels of Stemphylium blight were observed in research plots at Rosthern and Melfort, SK. Based on morphological characteristics, DNA barcoding, and virulence testing, S. eturmiunum was confirmed as the causal pathogen of these Stemphylium blight lesions. This is the first report of S. eturmiunum infection causing Stemphylium blight on faba bean in Canada. Based on the severity of symptoms it can cause, S. eturmiunum has the potential to pose a serious threat to faba bean production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lens culinaris L., has been widely recognized for its medical applications. LC-ESI-TOF-MS identified 22 secondary metabolites including phenolics, flavonoids, and anthocyanidin glycosides among its total extract (LCTE). The study aimed to apply LCTE as a biogenic material for reducing and capping the silver nanoparticles (LC-AgNPs). The ynthesized LC-AgNPs were characterized using different techniques. The UV absorption was observed at λmax 379 nm. LC-AgNPs were spherical, with 19.22 nm average size. The face cubic centre nature was demonstrated by HR-TEM and XRD. The LC-AgNPs were then evaluated for their anticancer and antimicrobial potentials. LC-AgNPs showed an extremely potent cytotoxic activity against MCF-7, HCT-116 and HepG2 cell lines (IC50= 0.37, 0.35 and 0.1 µg/mL, respectively). LC-AgNPs induced significant apoptotic effects in the three examined cancer cell lines. LC-AgNPs resulted in sequestration of cells in G1 phase of the cell cycle in both MCF-7 and HCT-116 cells, meanwhile it trapped cells at the G2 phase in HepG2 cells. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of LC-AgNPs was highly confirmed against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii. Molecular docking study designated Kaempferol-3-O-robinoside-7-O-rhamnoside and Quercetin-3-D-xyloside as the topmost LCTE active constituents that caused inhibition of both Bcl-2 and IspC cancer targets in combination with the produced silver nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lens culinaris L., has been widely recognized for its medical applications. LC-ESI-TOF-MS identified 22 secondary metabolites including phenolics, flavonoids, and anthocyanidin glycosides among its total extract (LCTE). The study aimed to apply LCTE as a biogenic material for reducing and capping the silver nanoparticles (LC-AgNPs). The ynthesized LC-AgNPs were characterized using different techniques. The UV absorption was observed at λmax 379 nm. LC-AgNPs were spherical, with 19.22 nm average size. The face cubic centre nature was demonstrated by HR-TEM and XRD. The LC-AgNPs were then evaluated for their anticancer and antimicrobial potentials. LC-AgNPs showed an extremely potent cytotoxic activity against MCF-7, HCT-116 and HepG2 cell lines (IC50= 0.37, 0.35 and 0.1 µg/mL, respectively). LC-AgNPs induced significant apoptotic effects in the three examined cancer cell lines. LC-AgNPs resulted in sequestration of cells in G1 phase of the cell cycle in both MCF-7 and HCT-116 cells, meanwhile it trapped cells at the G2 phase in HepG2 cells. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of LC-AgNPs was highly confirmed against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii. Molecular docking study designated Kaempferol-3-O-robinoside-7-O-rhamnoside and Quercetin-3-D-xyloside as the topmost LCTE active constituents that caused inhibition of both Bcl-2 and IspC cancer targets in combination with the produced silver nanoparticles.

This research aims to develop nutrient-rich savory crackers using legume-based composite flour containing moth bean (VAF) and red lentil flour (LCF). The study employed Optimal (Custom) Design in Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to determine the best formulations. The independent variables were refined wheat flour (RWF) (63.75%, 72.25%), LCF (5.31%, 15.93%), and VAF (5.31%, 15.93%), while the dependent variables included spread ratio, bulk density, water absorption index (WAI), antioxidant activity, and color difference. The optimized formulation (RWF: 63.75 g, VAF: 15.43 g, LCF: 5.82 g) resulted in crackers with 14.43% protein, a spread ratio of 10.82, bulk density of 783.4 kg/m3, WAI of 1.84, antioxidant activity of 76.6%, and a color difference of 18.51. VAF and LCF are effective for developing nutrient-rich crackers that maintain desirable sensory attributes, potentially addressing nutritional deficiencies by providing a convenient source of protein and antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertical Farming Systems (VFS) emerge as an approach to optimize plant growth in urban and controlled environments, by enabling sustainable and intensive production in reduced spaces. VFS allow for greater control over growing conditions, such as light, temperature and humidity, resulting in higher quality crops and with less use of resources, such as water and fertilizers. This research investigates the effects of different lighting regimes (Constant and Gaussian) and spectral qualities (white, RBW, blue and red) on the growth, photosynthesis, and biomass accumulation of lentil microgreens (Lens culinaris) in VFS. The results demonstrate that constant lighting regimes, particularly under red, white, and RBW lights, significantly increase biomass production and energy efficiency. On the other hand, the Gaussian regime promotes the accumulation of bioactive compounds such as carotenoids, especially under red light. Chlorophyll content and the photochemical coefficient (qP) also varied across treatments, with significant variations between lighting regimes and spectral combinations. Tailored lighting strategies, adjusted to specific production goals, have the potential to enhance both productivity and nutritional quality in VFS. The analysis contained in the research provides relevant information for optimizing lighting management in controlled agricultural environments, providing practical applications to improve harvest performance.

ABSTRACT Lentils are an ancient, edible grain legume, consumed worldwide in an array of dishes as either whole or split seed. While India and Canada are the largest modern‐day producers, Australia is a close third and the second largest exporter of lentil globally. An overview of lentil introduction cultivar development and production in Australia since the 1960s is presented. This commenced with obtaining international germplasm, and in the 1970s, Australia participated in the ICARDA‐led Food Legume Improvement Program (FLIP), which saw the release of nine varieties in the span of a decade. The first local breeding efforts in Australia commenced in the 1990s through the Coordinated Improvement Program for Australian Lentils (CIPAL), which transitioned into Pulse Breeding Australia (PBA) in the 2000s, and saw the first Australian‐bred varieties released in 2008. Currently, Agriculture Victoria's National Lentil Breeding Program and Grains Innovation Australia (GIA) breed and release varieties for Australian lentil growers, and future perspectives for their programmes are presented. One of the main diseases of lentil is Ascochyta blight, which is caused by the fungus Ascochyta lentis. The discovery of a major avirulence gene within Australian A. lentis populations which determines pathotype has allowed recent categorisation of a collection of isolates, and their response to Australian varieties is discussed. The narrowing gene pool and viability of interspecific hybridisation of Australian lentil is additionally explained. Taken together, this review summarises the history and pedigree of Australian varieties and lentil breeding, the impact of major disease pathotypes on cultivar utility and the pursuits of public and private lentil breeding initiatives.

The objective of this experiment was to determine drought tolerance exhibited by lentil lines developed by the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) in an artificial environment, and to investigate the relationships between traits with various methods. This experiment examined 15 traits of 21 lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) accessions grown under artificial drought stress created with polyethylene glycol (PEG)-6000 (0%, 10%, 15% and 20%) concentrations during germination and early seedling stages. Germination characteristics, seedling developmental properties and root system architecture traits were investigated to observed the impacts of drought stress. The originality lies in enabling the identification of drought-tolerant and sensitive genotypes through a brief and practical research method, while shedding light on the key traits by principal component analysis. The first two PCs explained 22.9% and 31.7% (total 54.6%) under optimal conditions while they described 14% and 58.3% (total 72.3%) under PEG-induced drought conditions, respectively. Variation in PC1 was mostly contributed by positive coefficients of germination index, uniformity of germination and germination energy, and negative coefficients of mean germination time. Variation in PC2 was mostly contributed by positive coefficients of seedling vigor index, root fresh weight and root dry weight. 'Tigris', G3664 and G3840 exhibited higher performance in terms of germination characteristics, while G3710, G3829 and G3840 produced higher DM accumulation, total biomass and lateral roots. Overall, PC-biplot denoted that selection based on germination index and seedling vigor index at germination and seedling stages would improve drought tolerance. In conclusion, genotypes G3840 and G3664 were identified as droughttolerant, whereas genotypes G35, G3659, G3759, G3837, and G3844 were classified as drought-sensitive. In addition, G3664, G3840 and G3710 exhibited the highest stress tolerance index (STI) under artificial drought conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) strains exhibiting ACC (1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylate) deaminase enzyme activity on salt stress in germination and early seedling stages of lentil (Lens culinaris M.). The study utilized three NaCl concentrations (control, 100 mM, and 200 mM) and six PGPB strains (control, KF3A, KF3B, KF58B, KF58C and KF63C). Hydro-priming with distilled water was applied to seeds in the control group. The study was conducted in 2023 at Siirt University, Faculty of Agriculture, Field Crops laboratory, using a completely randomized factorial design with four replications. According to the results, all parameters, except seedling dry weight and seedling vigor index, were significantly (p<0.05 or p<0.01) affected by salt stress or bio-priming applications. Germination percentage ranged from 91.8% to 99.4%, average germination time from 1.24 to 1.90 days, germination uniformity coefficient from 48.8 to 81.2, germination energy from 9.3 to 81.9, germination index from 10.1 to 18.0, seedling length from 1.8 to 3.8 cm, root length from 3.5 to 6.0 cm, seedling dry weight from 0.0176 to 0.0240 g, root dry weight from 0.0119 to 0.0206 g, seedling vigor index from 3.3 to 4.1, lateral root number from 1.3 to 4.3, and total lateral root length from 0.46 to 2.54 cm. KF58C and KF63C were noted to promote germination and seedling development of lentil seedling under both optimum and stress conditions, while KF3A, KF3B, and KF58B strains provided weaker plant growth compared to hydro-priming. Particularly, the KF58C strain significantly increased seedling length, root length, lateral root number, and total lateral root length, stimulating dry matter accumulation in roots by 114%. In conclusion, it is considered that bio-priming with PGPB strains possessing ACC deaminase activity could offer a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution for enhancing lentil tolerance to salt stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

Lentil is one of the most important legumes cultivated in various provinces of Iran. However, there is limited information about the symbiotic rhizobia of lentils in this country. In this study, molecular identification of lentil-nodulating rhizobia was performed based on 16S–23S rRNA intergenic spacer (IGS) and recA, atpD, glnII , and nodC gene sequencing. Using PCR-RFLP analysis of 16S–23S rRNA IGS, a total of 116 rhizobia isolates were classified into 20 groups, leaving seven strains unclustered. Phylogenetic analysis of representative isolates revealed that the rhizobia strains belonged to Rhizobium leguminosarum and Rhizobium laguerreae , and the distribution of the species is partially related to geographical location. Rhizobium leguminosarum was the dominant species in North Khorasan and Zanjan, while R. laguerreae prevailed in Ardabil and East Azerbaijan. The distribution of the species was also influenced by agroecological climates; R. leguminosarum thrived in cold semiarid climates, whereas R. laguerreae adapted to humid continental climates. Both species exhibited equal dominance in the Mediterranean climate, characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters, in Lorestan and Kohgiluyeh-Boyer Ahmad provinces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Stemphylium blight incited by Stemphylium botryosum poses a significant threat to lentil crops worldwide, inducing severe defoliation and causing substantial yield losses in susceptible varieties under favorable conditions. While some moderate levels of resistance have been identified within lentil germplasm, a low number of resistant cultivars are available to farmers. Adding to the common constraints of resistance breeding, a notable challenge is generating a sufficient number of spores for large-scale screenings, which are essential for pinpointing additional sources of resistance for integration into breeding programs. Therefore, there is a pressing need to improve existing screening methods and tailor them for large-scale material selection. In pursuit of this objective, a protocol for the efficient production of fungal material has been adapted. Results Optimization of fungal material production was successfully achieved by comparing the use of fungal mycelia and spores. Spore production was found to be optimal when produced on solid V8-PDA(hi) medium, while liquid Richard’s medium was identified as superior for mycelium yield. Furthermore, a refined screening method was developed by evaluating the resistance of six lentil accessions to stemphylium blight. This assessment included the use of either fungal mycelia (at densities ranging from 1 to 5 g L− 1) or spores (with densities ranging from 5 × 104 to 2 × 105 conidia mL− 1) under three different relative humidity levels (from 50 to 100%). Both humidity levels and inoculum dose significantly influenced the final disease rating (DR) and the relative Area Under the Disease Progress Curve (rAUDPC). Differences among genotypes in final symptom severity (DR) became more pronounced after inoculation with inoculum densities of 5 g L− 1 of mycelium or of 105 and 2 × 105 conidia mL− 1 of spore under 100% relative humidity. Given the challenges associated with the large-scale production of S. botryosum spores, inoculations with 5 g L− 1 of mycelium is highly recommended as a practical alternative for conducting mass-scale screenings. Conclusions The findings from this study underscore the critical importance of maintaining high level of humidity during inoculation and disease progression development for accurately assessing resistance to stemphylium blight. The optimization of mycelial production for suspension inoculation emerges as a more reliable and efficient approach for conducting large-scale screening to assess germplasm resistance against stemphylium blight in lentil crops.

Both silicic and salicylic acids have been reported to be effective in mitigating the harmful effects of environmental stresses. The effects of silicic acid (Si), salicylic acid (SA), and their combination on dry matter yield (DM), nitrogen yield (NY) and N2-fixation (Ndfa) in lentil grown under varying levels of water stress (high I1, mild I2 and well-watered I3) were assessed in a pot experiment in which Si (150 mg L−1) and/or SA (10−5mol L−1) were applied as foliar spraying. The 15N isotope dilution method was employed for estimating Ndfa using barley as a reference crop. A significant decline in the DM, NY and Ndfa of lentil plants was observed due to water stress. However, the exogenous application of Si and/or SA significantly enhanced the overall growth performance particularly under high water stress (I1). Among spraying treatments, the solely applied Si in I1 showed better DM and NY yields as compared to the other treatments, particularly in root growth enhancement. Positive and significant impacts on N2 fixed in response to Si and/or SA were generally observed in plants grown under high water stress.. Decrease in soil N uptake by lentil plants in Si+SA treatment was associated with a higher amount of N2-fixation. These findings may illustrate the importance of dual application of Si+SA in saving irrigation water and alleviating water stress influences to ensure higher N2-fixation and lower consumption of soil nitrogen. Overall, response to Si and/or SA was expressed more clearly when lentil plants were exposed to water stress. The co-application of these two compounds may be considered as important environmentally friendly and sound agricultural practice inputs for improving the symbiotic performance of N2-fixing plants by mitigating the adverse effects of water stress influences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne enterolobii , is an important pathogen of numerous crops, including the so-called pulses. Hence, it is necessary to identify genetic resistance, as it is the most efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally sound way to manage nematodes in the field. The objective of this study was to screen a Brazilian germplasm collection of pulse crops (peas, chickpeas, and lentils) comprising accessions from the Embrapa Germplasm Bank and commercial cultivars against M. enterolobii under glasshouse conditions. The experiment was conducted with 23 treatments (genotypes), i.e., 14 pea, six chickpea and one lentil genotype, and two tomato cultivars, 'Rutgers' (susceptible) and 'Nemadoro' (resistant). Each plant (replication) was inoculated with 5000 eggs and second-stage juveniles (J2) of M. enterolobii and evaluated 65 days after inoculation, considering the following variables: gall index, egg mass index, number of eggs per g of roots, and reproduction factor. The experiments were conducted at two independent time points (summer and autumn/winter). Results showed that all 23 plant genotypes were susceptible to the nematode, with pea genotype 'Itapuã' being intolerant to infection. Cultivation of pulse crops has been steadily increasing both in Brazil and worldwide. Our research findings make a valuable contribution to the ongoing efforts to identify genetic resistance to nematode pathogens that can significantly affect the productivity of these crops. By identifying and developing resistant genotypes, pulse crop yields can be safeguarded, and sustainable agricultural practices can be supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lentils, which are scientifically known as Lens culinaris Medik., are an important component of traditional diets and belong to the Fabaceae family. The germination of lentil seeds was investigated during the experiment using the halo thermal time model. The study consisted of five constant cardinal temperatures: 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35°C, and various water potentials ranging from 0 to –1 MPa. The study concluded that the seeds had the highest moisture content (–0.75 MPa) and germination rate at a temperature of 30°C, while the lowest germination rate was recorded at 15°C. The germination rate was highest at temperatures above 30°C. The GP, GRI, GI, CVG, GE, Seed Vigor Index II and I, as well as the RSR (root shoot ratio), were at their maximum when exposed to –0.75 MPa at 30°C. Meanwhile, the lowest values were recorded at 0 MPa and 15°C. The halo thermal time model effectively forecasted the germination period of lentils when exposed to NaCl. Lentils being salt tolerant plants are well suited for growth in dry and semi-dry areas, owing to their remarkable resilience to saline conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substitution of plant cultivars of high commercial value with a cheaper, lower quality one is a common fraud committed against consumers and producers. Since it is one of the most widely grown legumes, lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is suitable for such frauds. This study aimed to identify lentil cultivars which are registered and authorized in the market in Türkiye by using current molecular methods. For this purpose, 26 lentil cultivars were analyzed for 15 SSR markers and two DNA barcode regions (trnH-psbA and matK). A high allele diversity was observed by 12 scorable SSR markers, and the average number of alleles was determined to be 16. One of the important findings was the presence of “cultivar-specific alleles” that can be used to identify each cultivar in the lentil market in Türkiye. At least one “cultivar-specific allele” was obtained for each cultivar. The lentil cultivars were also analyzed by two DNA barcode regions as trnH-psbA and matK. While it was observed that the rate of the intra-species variation for the trnH-psbA region was low and 26 varieties were divided into 7 groups, higher rate was found for matK and samples were distributed into 14 groups. Nevertheless, it was observed that intra-species discrimination can be made more effective when both loci are used together and 26 species were distributed into 18 different groups. We expect that the results of this study, especially the cultivar-specific SSR alleles and DNA barcoding sequence data may be used routinely to identify production and packaged products that are commercially available in markets.

BACKGROUND: Lentils are an ancient legume established worldwide for direct consumption and with great potential for application in food processing. In addition, it is a sustainable crop owing to its ability to scavenge nitrogen and carbon, and it improves the nutrient status of the soil. A diet rich in lentils has been linked to significant health benefits. However, the composition of lentils can be influenced by both the lentil variety and the growing conditions. The aim of this work was to evaluate the nutritional profiles and antioxidant potential, as well as the impact that the type of cultivation (conventional or organic) and the variety could have on these parameters, in different lentil varieties. RESULTS: Overall, carbohydrates are the major macronutrients in all varieties, with notable amounts of fibre (11.62–27.36%) and starch (41.98–50.27%). High amounts of protein and ash were also identified, particularly in the Beluga variety, with 21.9–23.3 and 1.38–1.82 g 100 g−1 fresh weight, respectively. Fructose and sucrose were detected (high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with refraction index detection), along with oxalic, quinic, malic, and shikimic acids (ultra‐fast liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection), and α‐ and γ‐tocopherol isoforms (HPLC with fluorescence detection). Fatty acid methyl ester assessment showed the prevalence of polyunsaturated fatty acids (33.5–46.3%). Good antioxidant capacity (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and oxidative haemolysis inhibition assay) was also noted. CONCLUSION: The results obtained showed that all the varieties analysed are an excellent source of fibre and have a good antioxidant capacity. Lentil variety has a greater influence on its nutritional composition than the type of cultivation. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substitution of plant cultivars of high commercial value with a cheaper, lower quality one is a common fraud committed against consumers and producers. Since it is one of the most widely grown legumes, lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is suitable for such frauds. This study aimed to identify lentil cultivars which are registered and authorized in the market in Türkiye by using current molecular methods. For this purpose, 26 lentil cultivars were analyzed for 15 SSR markers and two DNA barcode regions (trnH-psbA and matK). A high allele diversity was observed by 12 scorable SSR markers, and the average number of alleles was determined to be 16. One of the important findings was the presence of “cultivar-specific alleles” that can be used to identify each cultivar in the lentil market in Türkiye. At least one “cultivar-specific allele” was obtained for each cultivar. The lentil cultivars were also analyzed by two DNA barcode regions as trnH-psbA and matK. While it was observed that the rate of the intra-species variation for the trnH-psbA region was low and 26 varieties were divided into 7 groups, higher rate was found for matK and samples were distributed into 14 groups. Nevertheless, it was observed that intra-species discrimination can be made more effective when both loci are used together and 26 species were distributed into 18 different groups. We expect that the results of this study, especially the cultivar-specific SSR alleles and DNA barcoding sequence data may be used routinely to identify production and packaged products that are commercially available in markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research evaluates the influence of mineral fertilizers on structural components and the formation of productivity of various Lens culinaris varieties on dark chestnut soils of the dry-steppe zone of Northern Kazakhstan. The application of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers in the doses up to P120 (P2O5 25-30 ppm) and N30-60 against the background of P90 (N-NO3 12-17 ppm) with a phosphorus content of 11-15 ppm and nitrogen 7-9 ppm at the control plots contributed to the formation of the highest yield of lentils' varieties "Krapinka", "Vekhovskaya", and "Viceroy" up to 1.44 t/ha, 1.89 t/ha, and 1.92 t/ha respectively. The increase in yield is due to an increase in the number of formed beans (up to 18.2-26.0 pcs) and the weight of seeds per plant (up to 1.04-1.23 g), which is confirmed by correlation analyses (R = 0.91; R = 0.96). The yield relationship with the number of branches is medium (R = 0.72) and with a mass of 1000 seeds from medium to high (strong) (R = 0.70-0.87). The mass of 1000 seeds is the most stable indicator of variation among the structural components of yield, regardless of the background of mineral nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tractor 10E is an Alpha-cypermethrin based insecticide. It is one of the commonly used insecticides. The toxic effect of this product was assessed using the Lens culinaris (edible lentil) and Lepidium sativum (watercress) test. The seeds of Lens culinaris and Lepidium sativum were subjected to 6 increasing concentrations of Tractor 10E (25, 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800mg/l) and the control (distilled water). After 7 days, weight, root and stem development were measured. The results of the statistical study revealed the notable effect of this toxic product on growth, especially at high concentrations for the two species which are the subject of plant toxicity tests. Stem length growth is the most sensitive parameter. IC50 is equal to 136.99mg/l for lentil and 136.42mg/l for watercress. The results of this study reveal that this alpha-cypermethrin insecticide has the ability to alter the growth of plants as non-target organisms, which imposes the effective use and management of these toxicants and even replacing them with biopesticides to preserve human health and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To deal with increasing salinization, plants show an array of responses such as root system architecture remodelling, thereby enhancing stress tolerance. Although various chemical, molecular and genetic techniques such that generally expensive and difficult applications are used to enhance stress tolerance, out of them, seed priming with suitable substrates is an easy-applicable and cost-effective treatment. The experiment aimed to evaluate the effects of salicylic acid (SA), silicon (Si), and sodium chloride (NaCl) priming on lentil seed germination parameters, seedling development, and root system architecture. In 2022, the experiment was carried out in the Field Crops Department laboratory at Siirt University in Turkey. Petri and pot investigations were part of the two stages of the experiment. Three concentrations of NaCl and priming treatments were utilized. Germination characteristics were impeded by rising saline levels. But seed priming, which boosted uniformity of germination by 50% as compared to unprimed seeds under saline stress, enhanced germination characteristics. A pot experiment revealed that the dry matter accumulation in roots was reduced by 24.6% due to salt stress. Si priming increased number of lateral roots by 32.6% compared to control seeds, whereas salt stress lowered it by 22.8%. The total length of lateral roots (TLLR) and mean length of lateral roots (MLLR) were inhibited by salinity stress by 75% and 63, respectively. Total root area was reduced by salinity stress by almost 70%, although seed priming increased it by as much as 29.3%. The SA and Si priming treatments improved germination stage and induced seedling growth by reducing salinity stress via more effective shoot development and root system architecture. In conclusion, seed priming with SA and Si is an affordable and sustainable method for reducing salt stress in lentil farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lentil is an important annual food legume crop, nitrogen fixer and provides a substantial amount of protein, carbohydrate, minerals, and vitamin content. The use of molecular markers to assess genetic diversity is crucial for crop improvement, efficient management, and conservation of plant genetic resources. The current study aimed to determine the genetic diversity among lentil genotypes using sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers. Therefore, we evaluated a collection of 36 lentil genotypes, including 20 from Yemen, Saudi Arabia (7), Egypt (4), and Bangladesh (3), and (2) genotypes from the International Center for Research in Dry Area (ICARDA) using 21 SRAP primer combinations. The amplified fragments showed a high level of useful polymorphic amplified fragments (775 out of 782) indicating a higher degree of variation. The polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.31 to 0.39 with an average of 0.33 for each primer. The UPGMA trees, based on Jaccard similarity index matrices, separated the genotypes into four main clusters according to their geographical origin. The population structure supported the major groups and attested to their great degree of differentiation. The highest lentil population was found at K = 3, K = 5, and K = 7 levels, showing purity and admixture ancestry among the lentil population. This study highlighted the wide genetic diversity among the studied lentil genotypes and demonstrated the effectiveness of the SRAP technique in determining the genetic variability of lentil. Furthermore, it could be used to establish the genetic peculiarity of ecotypes when applying for the obtainment of origin and agro-morphological characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is one of the major pulse crops in the world. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of Trichoderma isolates to control the charcoal rot disease caused by Macrophomina pseudophaseolina recently reported on lentil plants. Results In this study, antagonistic effects of seven isolates of Trichoderma spp. isolated from the rhizosphere of lentil were evaluated in vitro against Macrophomina pseudophaseolina M1. All isolates of Trichoderma significantly reduced the mycelial growth of M1 in vitro. Maximum reduction of the pathogen growth was observed at T10 (72.53%), followed by T5 (63.7%) and T6 (62.88%), while T2 caused the minimum reduction (37.33%). Likewise, Trichoderma isolates significantly reduced the size and number microsclerotia. M1 produced the minimum number of microsclerotia in the presence of T10, followed by T1 causing reduction of 68.56 and 53.37% over control, respectively. The maximum reduction of microsclerotia’s size was observed in the presence of T10 (54.92%), followed by T1 (49.84) and T8 (48.68%). Results also revealed that production of volatile metabolite, components and inhibition of the test pathogen by volatile metabolites varied among different antagonistic Trichoderma. T1 produced the most volatile compounds, followed by T2 and T3 and T10 causing mycelial growth inhibition of 41.66, 33.88, 30.55 and 30.37%, respectively. The efficacy of the antagonistic biocontrol agents on charcoal rot was evaluated in vivo. Seed treatment with T10 significantly protected lentil seedlings from M. pseudophaseolina as compared to untreated plants and also improved their growth. T10 isolate was identified based on molecular tools, using internal transcribed spaces and Translation elongation factor of ribosomal DNA. The results identified T10 as Trichoderma longibrachiatum with accession number MW818102 and OK500004 deposited in NCBI GenBank database. Conclusion The study revealed the first report of using Trichoderma longibrachiatum as a promising biological agent against M. pseudophaseolina causing charcoal rot disease of lentil.

Simple Summary: Although lentil is not as popular as other legumes, it is a climate-resilient legume crop because of its high protein content, nitrogen fixation, and abiotic stress tolerance ability. Even though it can be grown on almost every continent and is distributed globally, the use of existing genetic diversity in marker-assisted selection is still limited. In this study, novel SSR markers needed in lentil were identified using a next-generation sequencing approach. In this study, we created a ready-to-use SSR library for genetic diversity studies and breeding and evaluated the effectiveness of the obtained SSR markers in a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population. Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) are highly versatile markers in genetic diversity analysis and plant breeding, making them widely applicable. They hold potential in lentil (Lens culinaris) breeding for genetic diversity analysis, marker-assisted selection (MAS), and linkage mapping. However, the availability and diversity of SSR markers in lentil is limited. We used next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology to develop SSR markers in lentil. NGS allowed us to identify regions of the lentil genome that contained SSRs. Illumina Hiseq-2000 sequencing of the lentil genotype "Karacadağ" resulted in 1,727,734 sequence reads comprising more than 48,390 Mb, and contigs were mined for SSRs, resulting in the identification of a total of 8697 SSR motifs. Among these, dinucleotide repeats were the most abundant (53.38%), followed by trinucleotides (30.38%), hexanucleotides (6.96%), tetranucleotides (6.59%), and pentanucleotides (3.19%). The most frequent repeat in dinucleotides was the TC (21.80%), followed by the GA (17.60%). A total of 2000 primer pairs were designed from these motifs, and 458 SSR markers were validated following their amplified PCR products. A linkage map was constructed using these new SSRs with high linkage disequilibrium (209) and previously known SSRs (11). The highest number of SSR markers (43) was obtained in LG2, while the lowest number of SSR markers (19) was obtained in LG7. The longest linkage group (LG) was LG2 (86.84 cM), whereas the shortest linkage group was LG7 (53.46 cM). The average length between markers ranged from 1.86 cM in LG1 to 2.81 cM in LG7, and the map density was 2.16 cM. The developed SSRs and created linkage map may provide useful information and offer a new library for genetic diversity analyses, linkage mapping studies, and lentil breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broomrape (Orobanche crenata Forsk.) is a serious problem causing important losses to lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) production and productivity in Mediterranean countries. Despite intensive breeding activities, no resistance sources against O. crenata have been identified so far. In this study, a Global Lentil Diversity Panel (GLDP) of 1315 genotypes including local populations, landraces, accessions, improved lines and released varieties were evaluated for their resistance to O. crenata under highly infested field conditions at ICARDA Marchouch research station, Morocco. The trial was conducted according to an augmented design with repeated susceptible checks. The best-performing genotypes were selected based on the correlations between Orobanche infestation parameters and agronomic performance. Results showed significant variation (p < 0.005) among the studied genotypes and between the tested genotypes and checks for BY, D2F, D2M, PH, EODW and NEO. Out of the 1315 tested genotypes, only (1%) showed high to moderate resistance levels to O. crenata. Most of these genotypes are improved lines originating from different breeding programs. the PCA analysis clustered all the tested genotypes into four different groups. Good resistance levels were recorded for the genotypes ILL7723, ILL 7982, ILL 6912, ILL 6415, ILL 9850, ILL 605, ILL 7915, ILL 1861 and ILL 9888 showing a parasitism index and grain yield ranging from 1.69 to 5.99 and 10.97 to 60.19 g m−2, respectively. Person's correlation showed significant negative correlations between agronomic traits and infestation parameters. Both the path and spatial analysis showed that the D2F, NEO, D2OE, SEV and parasitism index (PI) were the strongest driver traits that influenced the seed yield (SY). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developmental activities have escalated mercury (Hg) content in the environment and caused food security problems. The present investigation describes mercury-incited stress in Lens culinaris (lentil) and its mitigation by supplementation of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and strigolactone (GR24). Lentil exposure to Hg decreased root and shoot length, relative water content and biochemical variables. Exogenous application of SNP and GR24 alone or in combination enhanced all of the aforementioned growth parameters. Hg treatment increased electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde content, but this significantly decreased with combined application (Hg + SNP + GR24). SNP and GR24 boosted mineral uptake and reduced Hg accumulation, thus minimizing the adverse impacts of Hg. An increase in mineral accretion was recorded in lentil roots and shoots in the presence of SNP and GR24, which might support the growth of lentil plants under Hg stress. Hg accumulation was decreased in lentil roots and shoots by supplementation of SNP and GR24. The methylglyoxal level was reduced in lentil plants with increase in glyoxalase enzymes. Antioxidant and glyoxylase enzyme activities were increased by the presence of SNP and GR24. Therefore, synergistic application of nitric oxide and strigolactone protected lentil plants against Hg-incited oxidative pressure by boosting antioxidant defense and the glyoxalase system, which assisted in biochemical processes regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research evaluates the influence of mineral fertilizers on structural components and the formation of productivity of various Lens culinaris varieties on dark chestnut soils of the dry-steppe zone of Northern Kazakhstan. The application of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers in the doses up to P120 (P2O5 25-30 ppm) and N30-60 against the background of P90 (N-NO3 12-17 ppm) with a phosphorus content of 11-15 ppm and nitrogen 7-9 ppm at the control plots contributed to the formation of the highest yield of lentils' varieties "Krapinka", "Vekhovskaya", and "Viceroy" up to 1.44 t/ha, 1.89 t/ha, and 1.92 t/ha respectively. The increase in yield is due to an increase in the number of formed beans (up to 18.2-26.0 pcs) and the weight of seeds per plant (up to 1.04-1.23 g), which is confirmed by correlation analyses (R = 0.91; R = 0.96). The yield relationship with the number of branches is medium (R = 0.72) and with a mass of 1000 seeds from medium to high (strong) (R= 0.70-0.87). The mass of 1000 seeds is the most stable indicator of variation among the structural components of yield, regardless of the background of mineral nutrition.

The usage of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) in mitigation of harmful effects of lead (Pb) toxicity in plants and bioremediation of it from soils is a sustainable, effective and low-cost strategy. The experiment was laid out to investigate the role of PGPB on morphological and physiological growth, root system architecture and nodulation of lentil under Pb stress. The experiment was conducted according to completely randomized factorial design with four replications at the laboratory of the Field Crops Department, Siirt University, Siirt in 2022. The four Pb levels and three bacterial inoculations were used in the experiment. Plant height, seedling fresh weight, root fresh weight, seedling dry weight, root dry weight, total chlorophyll content, taproot length, number of lateral roots, total root length and number of nodule varied between 15.7-25.9 cm, 0.123-0.235 g, 0.019-0.092 g, 0.0104-0.0326 g, 0.0076-0.0146 g, 27.9-47.2%, 8.9-19.2 cm, 4.00-14.67, 17.6-44.8 cm and 1.37-10.63, respectively. Bio-priming with PGPB containing 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase activity increased dry matter accumulation up to 56.1% and 22.9% in shoots and roots, respectively. Chlorophyll content enhanced up to 17.9% compared with control application. Besides, root system architecture and nodule formation were improved by bio-priming both under stress and non-stress conditions. Bio-priming with PGPB may be a sustainable solution to mitigate oxidative stress and promote plant growth and yield in lentil under Pb-contaminated soils.

Background: Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is one of the major pulse crops in the world. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of Trichoderma isolates to control the charcoal rot disease caused by Macrophomina pseudophaseolina recently reported on lentil plants. Results: In this study, antagonistic effects of seven isolates of Trichoderma spp. isolated from the rhizosphere of lentil were evaluated in vitro against Macrophomina pseudophaseolina M1. All isolates of Trichoderma significantly reduced the mycelial growth of M1 in vitro. Maximum reduction of the pathogen growth was observed at T10 (72.53%), followed by T5 (63.7%) and T6 (62.88%), while T2 caused the minimum reduction (37.33%). Likewise, Trichoderma isolates significantly reduced the size and number microsclerotia. M1 produced the minimum number of microsclerotia in the presence of T10, followed by T1 causing reduction of 68.56 and 53.37% over control, respectively. The maximum reduction of microsclerotia's size was observed in the presence of T10 (54.92%), followed by T1 (49.84) and T8 (48.68%). Results also revealed that production of volatile metabolite, components and inhibition of the test pathogen by volatile metabolites varied among different antagonistic Trichoderma. T1 produced the most volatile compounds, followed by T2 and T3 and T10 causing mycelial growth inhibition of 41.66, 33.88, 30.55 and 30.37%, respectively. The efficacy of the antagonistic biocontrol agents on charcoal rot was evaluated in vivo. Seed treatment with T10 significantly protected lentil seedlings from M. pseudophaseolina as compared to untreated plants and also improved their growth. T10 isolate was identified based on molecular tools, using internal transcribed spaces and Translation elongation factor of ribosomal DNA. The results identified T10 as Trichoderma longibrachiatum with accession number MW818102 and OK500004 deposited in NCBI GenBank database. Conclusion: The study revealed the first report of using Trichoderma longibrachiatum as a promising biological agent against M. pseudophaseolina causing charcoal rot disease of lentil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Tunisia, lentil (Lens culinaris subsp. culinaris Medik.) is cultivated in arid and semi-arid areas. Terminal drought and heat stresses during the end of cycle causes significant yield losses. Selection of short cycle varieties could be the best option to escape the effect of pre cited abiotic factors. 'krib' was developed using both modified pedigree and bulk methods by INRAT in collaboration with ICARDA. It's a selection from an advanced F9 line, FLIP2012 196L, which was derived from a cross of ILL590 (early-maturing genotype) with ILL8113 (drought tolerant). During the three consecutive cropping seasons (2014–2017), the increase in yield of 'krib' above that of the local checks was about 13 and 15% for 'kef' and 'Boulifa', respectively. 'Krib' is an early-flowering (on average ~ 93 d) and early-maturing (on average ~ 138 d) variety. It's therefore, the earliest variety among the previously released varieties. Its dehulled seed has a protein content of 26.8% which was above that of 'Kef' (23.9%). 'Krib' showed good agronomic performance under drought conditions and large adaptation for the Tunisian environments. Tested as ILL11171, 'Krib' was approved for release and registered in the Tunisian Official Catalogue of Plant Varieties in 2019, based on the superior performance, by the DG/PCQPA, Tunisia. The availability of 'Krib' variety to farmers could increase lentil production and offers the producer aprofitable benefit in their cropping systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the effects of a new extract (70% acetonitrile, 2E0217022196DIPFARMTDA) of Lens culinaris Medik (Terre di Altamura SRL, Altamura BA) to prevent cytotoxic damage from cisplatin, staurosporine, irinotecan, doxorubicin, and the glucocorticoid dexamethasone. The acetonitrile–water extract (range 0.1–5 mg/mL) was obtained by extracting 10 g of lentil flour with 50 milliliters of the acetonitrile–water extraction mixture in a 70:30 ratio, first for 3 h and then overnight in a shaker at room temperature. The next day, the extract was filtered and passed through a Rotavapor to obtain only the aqueous component and eliminate that with acetonitrile, and then freeze-dried to finally have the powdered extract. In vitro experiments showed that the extract prevented the cytotoxic damage induced by cisplatin, irinotecan, and doxorubicin on HEK293 and SHSY5Y cell lines after 24–96 h. In murine osteoblasts after 24–72 h of incubation time, the extract was cytoprotective against all chemicals. The extract was effective against dexamethasone, leading to synergic cell proliferation in all cell types. In bone marrow cells, the extract is cytoprotective after 72 h against doxorubicin, staurosporine, and dexamethasone. Instead, on muscle fibers, the extract has a synergic effect with chemotherapeutics, increasing cytotoxicity induced by doxorubicin and staurosporine. LC-MS attested to the existence of several phenolic structures in the extract. The most abundant families of compounds were flavonoids (25.7%) and mellitic acid (18%). Thus, the development of this extract could be implemented in the area of research related to the chemoprevention of damage to renal, neuronal, bone marrow cells, and osteoblasts by chemotherapeutics; moreover, it could be used as a reinforcer of cytotoxic action of chemotherapeutics on muscle fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rabies virus glycoprotein (RABV-G) is responsible for the recognition of specific cell surface receptors and induces the production of neutralizing antibodies (VNA). Since RABV-G is a glycoprotein, this work aimed to evaluate Lens culinaris (LCA) chromatography as a simple and effective purification method. The purity and identification of the protein obtained were analyzed by SDS-PAGE, ELISA and lectin-binding assay. The antigenic properties of the purified RABV-G were evaluated by direct ELISA using human serum samples from individuals who had received rabies pre-exposure vaccination. For the immunogenicity study, Swiss Webster mice were immunized with purified RABV-G and the specific antibodies were measured by direct ELISA and RFFIT. As results, it was observed that the purified protein reveled a molecular mass of 55 kDa and the presence of carbohydrate; additionally, it was recognized by anti-rabies virus glycoprotein monoclonal antibody. Purified RABV-G induced high VNA titers (>50.0 IU/ml) in vivo , as detected by RFFIT, as well as RABV-G specific IgG1 (0.8 mean OD±SD) and IgG2a (0.3 mean OD±SD) antibodies, with a predominance of IgG1 (p< 0.001). In addition, it was observed that RABV-G was efficient in selectively detecting anti- RABV-G IgG in the sera of vaccinated individuals compared to the negative control. Therefore, LCA chromatography was efficient in preserving the native properties of RABV-G that are essential in inducing an adequate humoral immune response. In addition, the purified RABV-G presented analytical potential as an ELISA reagent. • VNA provide protection against rabies. • RABV-G induces the production of VNA. • LCA chromatograph is simple and effective method for RABV-G purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Virus‐induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a functional genomics tool used to determine the function of unknown genes or assess the impact of gene silencing on plant phenotype. However, VIGS methods for analyzing gene function are not equally efficient across species, and virus inoculation is difficult for some legume species. We describe a fast and efficient inoculation method using Agrobacterium rhizogenes K599 harboring an apple latent spherical virus (ALSV) full‐length cDNA clone. Pisum sativum cv. AAC Lacombe and Lens culinaris cv. CDC Viceroy showed silencing rates of 100% and 47.7%, respectively, within 30 days starting from seed. To our knowledge, this is the first report of virus inoculation by A. rhizogenes‐mediated introduction to legume plants. This work paves the way for high throughput gene function screening in Pisum sativum and other closely related legume crops using ALSV as a symptomless VIGS vector.

Induced mutagenesis is considered a coherent mechanism in crop improvement programmes to produce novel plant varieties by inducing genetic variability. Due to the insufficiency of desired genotypes, plant breeders are supposed to re-associate the gene of interest from the accessible gene pool of the related plant species through hybridization techniques and develop new cultivars with desired characteristics and improved yield. The present investigation was performed to evaluate cadmium induced mutagenesis on growth performance, physio-biochemical traits and DNA damage studies in lentil. Growth and morphological parameters exhibited reduction with increasing concentration of cadmium. Maximum devaluation was reported at the highest concentration. Physiological and biochemical traits were also affected by different cadmium concentrations and reduced as concentration increased. Lipid peroxidation activity and antioxidant enzymes increased as mutagenic stress increased caused by cadmium. CAT and SOD concentration was found to increase initially and then decreased gradually at higher cadmium concentrations. SEM analysis of stomatal morphology revealed variation in stomatal shape and size in treated populations. There was a gradual enhancement in the percentage of DNA damage along with variation in morphological traits. The DNA damage was recorded as precocious movement, stray bivalent, laggard, stickiness, disorientation of chromosome, multi-bridge, disturbed polarity and micronuclei. It was concluded that at higher concentrations, cadmium cause DNA damage and these chromosomal alterations causes morpho-physiological and biochemical changes in lentil.

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Lentil cultivation is often hampered by aphid population outspreads with detrimental impacts to crop development and production, challenging food safety and agriculture sustainability. The pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) is a significant threat to lentil in the temperate zone rainfed systems. A set of management practices including resilient cultivars and application of insecticides have effectively controlled aphid infestation. However, the plant defense against insect pests is scantily dissected and limited to the individual components including antibiosis, antixenosis and tolerance that constitute a combination of plant stress responses. Utilizing a lentil germplasm collection, we assessed the antixenosis and aphid tolerance mechanisms in association to important morphological parameters. Physiological parameters including relative water content (RWC) measured at 24h and 48h post-aphid infestation revealed genotype-specific responses. The contents of key plant hormones including salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), abscisic acid (ABA) and indoleacetic acid (IAA) implicated in defense signal-transduction pathways were also determined in lentil accessions after aphid herbivory infestation. In parallel, the expression of hallmark defense genes governed by SA- and JAsignaling pathways at 24h and 48h post aphid herbivory revealed significant differentiation patterns among the accessions. An interplay of hormone crosstalk is unveiled that possibly governs defense responses and aphid resistance. Besides the metabolomic profiling of accessions under aphid herbivory indicated the indispensable role of key secondary metabolites accumulation such as flavonoids, alkaloids, phenolics and fatty acids as a front line of plant defense and a potential integration of hormone signaling pathways in metabolome reprogramming. Overall, the study presents a panorama of distinct lentil responses to aphids and a critical view of the molecular mechanisms implicated in lentil insect defense to further our insight and advance crop protection and breeding approaches in a climate changing environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic contamination is a serious environmental concern in Indo-Gangetic Plains of West Bengal, India and Bangladesh. Productivity of Lentils (Lens culinaris Medik.) is severely affected in this region due to use of contaminated groundwater for irrigation purpose. Precipitation of iron oxides or hydroxides on root surfaces in form of iron plaque is observed as a response to arsenic toxicity in Lentils. Present study was constructed to elucidate the significance of the iron plaque in Lentils (cv. WBL-77) and to find out a possible way to ameliorate arsenic toxicity by inducing iron plaque formation. Lentil seeds were allowed for germination on different concentrations of arsenate, one set of which was supplemented with ferrous sulfate (FeSO4). The supplementation effectively triggered iron plaque formation on emerging radicles and significantly enhanced the rate of successful shoot development. The morphological, physiological and biochemical attributes depicted that the toxic effects of arsenic were considerably less pronounced in those seedlings compared to the set without FeSO4 supplementation. Initially formed surficial plaque was removed from another set of seedlings that significantly restricted their further growth and development compared to the iron plaque containing seedlings. Moreover, arsenic content was higher in iron plaque than the roots and shoots, indicating that the surficial iron plaque attenuated the toxic effects of arsenic by immobilizing and sequestering them. Therefore, FeSO4 alleviated the toxic effects of arsenic in lentils by enhancing the iron plaque formation. The study propounds that FeSO4 supplementation can be an effective measure for stabilization of arsenic in contaminated regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turnip yellows virus (TuYV) is a damaging virus that is persistently transmitted by aphids and infects a wide range of grain hosts including lentil (Lens culinaris Medik), field pea (Pisum sativum L.) and canola (Brassica napus L., oilseed rape). Although information is available about the effects of TuYV infection on grain yield in canola, data about its impact on yield in pulses is lacking. In this study, field experiments quantifying the effects of TuYV infection on the grain yield of lentil and field pea were conducted over three consecutive years (2018-2020) with varying weather conditions. Plants artificially inoculated with TuYV using viruliferous green peach aphid (Myzus persicae, Sulzer) were grown under typical field conditions in south-eastern Australia. At maturity, grain yield, along with associated grain and plant growth parameters, were measured. Compared to the non-inoculated control treatment, early TuYV infection reduced grain yield by up to 36% in lentil and 45% in field pea, while late TuYV infection had no significant impact on yield. Despite a high incidence of TuYV infection and significant yield losses recorded in inoculated plots, no obvious symptoms of virus infection were observed in the inoculated plots in any of the six experiments; this lack of visible symptoms in lentil and field pea has significant implications for crop health assessments, demonstrating the importance of testing for virus instead of relying solely on the presence of visual symptoms, and may also be leading to an underestimation of the importance of TuYV in pulses in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Yield losses in lentil (Lens culinaris ssp. culinaris Medik.) caused by weeds are estimated at 20–80%. In the absence of effective broad-spectrum herbicides, the menace of weed has emerged as a serious yield constraint in lentil. Aims: Identification of tolerance to two broad-spectrum post-emergence herbicides, imazethapyr and metribuzin. Methods: 221 lentil accessions were screened at the experimental research station of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Terbol (Lebanon) over four crop seasons (2014/15–2018/19). During the 2014/15 season, a preliminary screening experiment was conducted with 221 lentil accessions in an alpha lattice design with two replications, where accessions were treated at the pre-flowering stage at 150% of the recommended dose of imazethapyr (112.5 g active ingredient/ha) or metribuzin (315 g active ingredient/ha). Based on the preliminary results, 38 accessions were selected for further evaluation. In subsequent testing, the selected accessions were screened at 100% and 150% of the recommended doses of imazethapyr or metribuzin. Key results: Herbicide treatments delayed the flowering time and maturation of tested lentil accessions. The plant height of selected tolerant accessions was reduced by 15% and 8% in the plots treated by imazethapyr and metribuzin, respectively. Reduction index (RIsy) was an effective tool to select for herbicide tolerance. Stability analysis indicated that two accessions (IG4400 and IG5722) performed under high rainfall environments while two other accessions (IG323 and IG4605) were adapted to low rainfall environments. Conclusions: Four accessions (IG323, IG5722, IG4400, IG4605) were identified as independently tolerant to metribuzin and imazethapyr. Implications: The identified herbicide-tolerant accessions can be used to develop herbicide-tolerant cultivars. The integration of herbicide-tolerant lentil in the cropping system increases its sustainability and soil fertility in West Asian and North African regions. Therefore the identified sources for herbicide tolerance combined with other traits can be used to develop new cultivars that can be adapted to modern cropping systems in the region. The cultivars can decrease the cost of the production by reducing the cost of laborious hand weeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legumes improve soil fertility by interacting symbiotically with nitrogen-fixing rhizobia allocated in root nodules. Some bacterial endophytes can coexist with rhizobia in nodules and might help legumes by enhancing stress tolerance, producing hormones stimulating plant growth, and increasing plant nutrient intake. Twenty-six bacterial endophytes from Lens culinaris root nodules cultivated in intercropping with Triticum durum were identified and characterized molecularly and biochemically. Potential plant growth-promoting strains have been selected according to the indole acetic acid and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase production, and for their inorganic phosphate solubilization ability. The presence of genes associated to ACC deaminase and nitrogenase was evaluated. Six selected strains were grown with varying NaCl and polyethylene glycol concentrations to test their salt and osmotic stress tolerance. Priestia megaterium 11NL3 and Priestia aryabhattai 19NL1, resulted to be tolerant to salinity and osmotic stress, were tested on four genotypes of T. durum seeds in different stress conditions. The effect of strain inoculation on seed germination, vigor, and root-to-shoot ratio varied depending on the type of stress and on the durum wheat genotypes. For future research, it will be necessary to test the selected bacterial strains at different plant phenological stages and to clarify the mechanisms involved in the different outcomes of plant-microbe interactions.