EVOLVES: Enhancing the Value of Lentil Variation for Ecosystem Survival

EVOLVES: Enhancing the Value of Lentil Variation for Ecosystem Survival

In 2015, we embarked upon an ambitious genomics project Application of Genomic Innovation in the Lentil Economy (AGILE) that has delivered the first genome long-read assembly for CDC Redberry (genus Lens), assemblies for 2 wild lentil species, and molecular markers for phenology. This was a start to improving the efficiency at which lentil breeders can produce seeds with select traits, allowing a precision in lentil breeding not yet seen before. Building on these genomic gains, we launched Enhancing the Value of Lentil Variation for Ecosystem Survival (EVOLVES) in 2019 to further breeding efficiencies and focus on characterizing the nutritional qualities and functionalities of lentil.

 

In this 4 year project, we will further develop and explore the Lens genome linking a wider variety of candidate genes to visual and nutritional quality traits, allowing breeders to produce seeds that fit into very specific end-product categories with a focus on the value-added market.

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Metadata
Year(s)
2019-2023
Research Category
Breeding & Genetics
Collaborator(s)
Kirstin Bett (University of Saskatchewan); Albert Vandenberg (University of Saskatchewan); Peter Phillips (University of Saskatchewan); Eric von Wettberg (University of Vermont); Janitha Wanasundara (AAFC, Saskatoon Research Centre); Scott Noble (University of Saskatchewan); James House (University of Manitoba)
Funding Agencies
This work is supported by Saskatchewan Pulse Growers [grant: BRE 1516], Western Grains Research Foundation [grant: GC1903], Genome Canada [grant: LSP18-16302], Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture [grant: 20200026], the University of Saskatchewan, BASF. AGT Foods, Global Institute for Food Security, Palacky University, and Polytechnical University of Marche.
Germplasm Collection 
Related Projects
This Study is Instance Of the following:
NameType
Lentil Breeding & Genetics Project
The following are Part Of this Study:
NameType
EVOLVES Activity 5- Genomics in SocietyProject
EVOLVES Activity 2- Genomics and phenomics of nutritional and food functionality characteristics of lentil Project
EVOLVES Activity 1- Genetic consequences of structural variation in Lens speciesProject
EVOLVES Activity 4- Breeder friendly informaticsProject
EVOLVES Activity 3- Genomics and phenomics of visual quality traits in lentilProject