Fatty acid composition and genome-wide associations of a chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) diversity panel for biofortification efforts.

Chickpea is a nutritionally dense pulse crop with high levels of protein, carbohydrates, micronutrients and low levels of fats. Chickpea fatty acids are associated with a reduced risk of obesity, blood cholesterol, and cardiovascular diseases in humans. We measured four primary chickpea fatty acids; palmitic acid (PA), linoleic acid (LA), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), and oleic acid (OA), which are crucial for human health and plant stress responses in a chickpea diversity panel with 256 accessions (Kabuli and desi types). A wide concentration range was found for PA (450.7-912.6 mg/100 g), LA (1605.7-3459.9 mg/100 g), ALA (416.4-864.5 mg/100 g), and OA (1035.5-1907.2 mg/100 g). The percent recommended daily allowances also varied for PA (3.3-6.8%), LA (21.4-46.1%), ALA (34.7-72%), and OA (4.3-7.9%). Weak correlations were found among fatty acids. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were conducted using genotyping-by-sequencing data. Five significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified for PA. Admixture population structure analysis revealed seven subpopulations based on ancestral diversity in this panel. This is the first reported study to characterize fatty acid profiles across a chickpea diversity panel and perform GWAS to detect associations between genetic markers and concentrations of selected fatty acids. These findings demonstrate biofortification of chickpea fatty acids is possible using conventional and genomic breeding techniques, to develop superior cultivars with better fatty acid profiles for improved human health and plant stress responses.

Protein Biofortification in Lentils (Lens culinaris Medik.) Toward Human Health.

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is a nutritionally dense crop with significant quantities of protein, low-digestible carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins. The amino acid composition of lentil protein can impact human health by maintaining amino acid balance for physiological functions and preventing protein-energy malnutrition and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Thus, enhancing lentil protein quality through genetic biofortification, i.e., conventional plant breeding and molecular technologies, is vital for the nutritional improvement of lentil crops across the globe. This review highlights variation in protein concentration and quality across Lens species, genetic mechanisms controlling amino acid synthesis in plants, functions of amino acids, and the effect of antinutrients on the absorption of amino acids into the human body. Successful breeding strategies in lentils and other pulses are reviewed to demonstrate robust breeding approaches for protein biofortification. Future lentil breeding approaches will include rapid germplasm selection, phenotypic evaluation, genome-wide association studies, genetic engineering, and genome editing to select sequences that improve protein concentration and quality.

Inheritance and biochemical basis of yellowing of apical leaves: a unique trait in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).

A unique trait, i.e. yellowing of apical/young leaves in response to low temperature and high relative humidity was identified in a chickpea genotype, ICCX110069. To determine inheritance pattern of this trait, ICCX110069 was crossed to four other genotypes, GL14050, GL14049, GL14059 and SAGL152117, that exhibited normal green apical leaves under similar environmental conditions. The F1, F2, F3, BC1F1 and BC1F2 generations were generated. A ratio of 13 normal green leaf: three yellow leaf was found to be the best fit, indicated digenic gene action with suppressor effect of normal green leaf over the expression of yellowing of apical/young leaf trait. The chlorophyll content was significantly lower, while guaiacol peroxidase activity was significantly higher in yellow leaves of ICCX110069 as compared to green leaves of the same genotype and of GL14049, indicating the competence of antioxidative defence mechanism involved with the expression of this trait.