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

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