Omics Path to Increasing Productivity in Less-Studied Crops Under Changing Climate-Lentil a Case Study

Area of Science:

• Plant Genomics and Molecular Biology
• Crop Improvement and Agronomy
• Biotechnology and Bioinformatics

Background:

• Conventional lentil breeding methods are reaching their limits, necessitating advanced techniques for sustained genetic gain.
• While omics technologies are established in major crops, their application in lentils remains less explored, relying heavily on traditional breeding.
• Lentils require improved breeding strategies to enhance productivity and resilience against biotic and abiotic stresses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and summarize current omics findings in lentil research.
• To explore the integration of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics for lentil improvement.
• To identify pathways for developing high-yielding, multi-stress-tolerant lentil varieties for a changing climate.

Main Methods:

• Application of genomics and transcriptomics to create linkage maps and identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and candidate genes.
• Utilizing next-generation sequencing (NGS) combined with high-throughput phenotyping (HTP) for marker-trait association.
• Employing proteomics (e.g., 2-D gel electrophoresis) and metabolomics to identify stress-responsive proteins and metabolites.

Main Results:

• Omics studies have identified QTLs and candidate genes for agronomically important traits and stress tolerance in lentils.
• Image-based phenotyping aids in discerning lentil responses to biotic and abiotic stresses.
• Analysis revealed common differentially expressed genes and metabolites across different stress conditions, providing targets for breeding.

Conclusions:

• Omics technologies, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, are crucial for advancing lentil breeding.
• Integration of these omics findings into a systems approach can significantly enhance lentil productivity and resilience.
• Developing multi-stress-tolerant lentil varieties is achievable through targeted molecular strategies identified by omics studies.