Evaluation of environment and cultivar impact on lentil protein, starch, mineral nutrients, and yield

Authors: CHEN, CHENGCI - Montana State University; ETEMADI, FATEMEH - Montana State University; FRANCK, WILLIAM - Montana State University; FRANCK, SOOYOUNG - Montana State University; ABDELHAMID, MAGDI - Egypt National Research Center; AHMADI, JAFAR - International University Of Imam Khomeini; Mohammed, Yesuf; LAMB, PEGGY - Montana State University; MILLER, JOHN - Montana State University; CARR, PATRICK - Montana State University; MCPHEE, KEVIN - Montana State University; ZHOU, YI - Montana State University; TORABIAN, SHAHRAM - Oregon State University; QIN, RUIJUN - Oregon State University

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/22/2021
Publication Date: 1/13/2022
Citation: Chen, C., Etemadi, F., Franck, W., Franck, S., Abdelhamid, M.T., Ahmadi, J., Mohammed, Y.A., Lamb, P., Miller, J., Carr, P.M., McPhee, K., Zhou, Y., Torabian, S., Qin, R. 2022. Evaluation of environment and cultivar impact on lentil protein, starch, mineral nutrients, and yield. Crop Science. 62(2):893-905. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20675.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20675

Interpretive Summary: Lentil is an important crop around the world. Growers in the Northern Great Plains of the USA are replacing summer fallow with lentil and similar pulse crops to enhance crop diversification, improve resource use efficiency, profit and soil health. Information on the effect of lentil cultivars and locations on nutritional qualities of lentil is limited. Four lentil cultivars (Avondale, CDC Richlea, CDC Maxim, and CDC Imvincible) varying in seed color, size and maturity were evaluated at five locations in Montana with diverse climatic and soil conditions over a three-year period. Average protein concentration ranged from 24.6 to 26.2%, starch concentration ranged from 44.3 to 45.6% and seed yield from 1610 to 2194 kg ha-1. Among the cultivars, CDC Imvincible produced the greatest protein content (26.5%) and CDC Richlea was better in starch (45.6%) and CDC Avondale produced more seed yield (1965 kg ha-1). Protein and starch concertation were negatively correlated. The lentil cultivars had different macro- and micro-nutrient concentrations in their seeds. Among the cultivars, CDC Imvincible and CDC Maxim had better zinc, iron and protein concentrations than the other cultivars. These nutrients are important nutritional qualities in human diet. Future breeding can focus on selecting cultivars with improved seed qualities beside seed yield. This information will provide information for growers interested in growing quality lentils for national and export market, and will also benefit other researchers and educators and the specialty crops industry interested in growing lentil as an alternative crop to summer-fallow in the region.

Technical Abstract: Lentil (Lens Culinaris Medik.) provides an important source of protein, starch, and mineral nutrients in the human diet in many parts of the world. However, the impact of environment and cultivar on protein, starch, and mineral nutrients have not been well understood, especially in the major lentil production area of the Northern Great Plains of the USA. Four lentil cultivars (Avondale, CDC Richlea, CDC Maxim, and CDC Imvincible) varying in color, seed size and maturity time were evaluated at five locations with diverse climatic and soil conditions over three years. Environment and cultivar not only had a great impact on lentil seed yield but also affected on protein, starch, and mineral concentrations. Average seed yield varied from 1610 to 2194 kg ha-1, protein concentration from 24.6 to 26.2%, and starch concentration from 44.3 to 45.6% among the five locations. Among the cultivars, CDC Avondale was identified as the top yielder (1965 kg ha-1) and well adapted to most of the environments; CDC Imvincible was the greatest protein producer (26.5%); and CDC Richlea was the top starch producer (45.6%). Protein concentration was negatively correlated with starch. There were significant cultivar x location interactions for yield, protein, and starch but not for most of the macro- and micro- nutrients, indicating the inherent soil nutrient levels and the stable cultivar performance at different locations. Lentil seed showed different levels of micro- and macro-nutrients at different locations, with the northcentral Montana producing 10-20 times greater Se concentration than other locations. Among the cultivars, CDC Imvincible and CDC Maxim were correlated to higher Se, B, Cu, P, S, Zn, Fe, and protein, while CDC Richlea and Avondale were correlated to higher Mn, K, Mg, and starch concentrations.