Origin, phylogeny, domestication and spread.

Abstract

This chapter describes the history, taxonomy (morphological and molecular), centre of origin, spread of culture, and evolution of the cultivated forms of lentil. Lentils were domesticated, in the Near East or, more accurately, in the foothills of the mountains of southern Turkey and northern Syria. The raw materials were populations of orientalis, but primitive farmers could also have used some other species of the genus, whose similarity has been shown in this chapter, in mixed populations rather than in pure strands. But orientalis and odemensis forms are the most likely candidates to have been companion weeds of the cultigen. However, molecular marker analyses have indicated that the genetic variability within cultivated lentils is relatively low, which supports the idea that microsperma and macrosperma morphotypes are simple variants for quantitative traits resulting from disruptive selection. It is difficult to establish how much the wild relatives have contributed to the cultigen gene pool.

Genetic relationships among the genera Cicer L., Lathyrus L., Lens Mill., and Vicia L., together with similarity of Lens taxa based on morphological and AFLP markers

“…considered: aristae presence or absence, stipule dentations and angle, peduncle/rachis length ratio, leaflet number of fully expanded leaves, and plant pubescence (Ferguson et al, 2000;Cubero et al, 2009). …”

Lentil

“…Based on these observations, L. odemensis has been considered to be a member of secondary gene pool, and L. nigricans and L. ervoides were classifi ed in the tertiary gene pool (Ladizinsky 1993 ). Further, Cubero et al ( 2009 ) also suggested to place L. odemensis in secondary gene pool, while L. nigricans and L. ervoides can also be part of secondary gene pool as hybrids could be obtained by means of embryo rescue. They also suggested that there is a need to study hybridization in order to establish place of L. tomentosus and L. lamottei in secondary or tertiary gene pool.…”

“…Easy cross-compatibility of L. odemensis with L. culinaris could have generated the genetic raw material for western lentils having bigger seeds, a high number of large leafl ets and calyx teeth longer than corolla. The reports demonstrate that L. orientalis and L. odemensis forms are the most likely candidates as companion weeds of the cultigen, and disruption selection has only differentiated microsperma and macrosperma types during the course of evolution (Cubero et al 2009 ).…”

“…Taxonomically, specifi c status of a species or subspecies of genus Lens is always confused. However, based on SDS-PAGE, ITS, and cytoplasmic DNA markers studies, the genus Lens consists of six main species (Cubero et al 2009 ) and two subspecies including the cultivated lentil, L. culinaris Medik., and it's subspecies culinaris and its wild progenitor orientalis (Boiss.) Ponert, L. odemensis Ladiz., L. ervoides (Brign.)…”

Hybridization of cultivated lentil Lens culinaris Medik. and wild species Lens tomentosus Ladizinsky

“…orientalis), L. odemensis, L. ervoides, L. nigricans, L. tomentosus and L. lamottei (van Oss et al 1997;Cubero et al 2009).…”