Chapter 8 Page - 1

BREEDING FOR SHORT SEASON ENVIRONMENTS

M. Matiur Rahman Bangladesh Agril. Res. Institute (BARI), Gazipur-1701, baridres@citechco.net

Ashutosh Sarker Lentil Breeder, ICARDA, Aleppo, Syria, a.sarker@cgiar.org
Shiv Kumar Indian Institute of Pulses Res. (IIPR), Kanpur, UP. India, Shiv_iipr@email.com
Ali Asghar Pulse Programme, NARC, Islamabad, Pakistan, asgharapk@yahoo.com
N K Yadav National Grain Legumes Res. Programme, Rampur, Nepal, nkyadav56@rediffmail.com
M Lutfor RahmanBangladesh Agril. Res. Institute (BARI), Gazipur 1701, Lutfur@bari.gov.bd

Lentil is grown on around 1.8 million ha with an annual production of about 1.4 million tonnes in
South Asia. Although it occupies about 45% of total area but contributes about 32% to the total
lentil production of the world. The average yield of South Asia (728 kg/ha) is 24% lower than the
world average (1053 kg/ha) (FAO, 2007). The reasons of low yield are various biotic (mainly
diseases), abiotic factors such as short winter season, terminal drought and heat stress etc. and
edaphic factors, as have been thoroughly discussed by Ali, et al. (2000), Matiur Rahman et al.
(2000), Pande et al. (2000) and Haqqani et al. (2000). Being a cool season crop, lentil is grown on
conserved soil moisture in the post rainy season. Generally no rainfall occurs during the winter in
this region, however, seldom scattered shower may occur. As a results the crops are exposed to
terminal drought and heat stress. Sowing time has a profound effect on productivity and success
of legumes as it causes considerable change in the plant environment with respect to temperature,
photoperiod and availability of soil moisture (Ramakrishna et al. 2000). The optimum planting
time of lentil in Pakistan, northern India, Nepal and Bangladesh is last week of October to Mid
November depending on the location and soil moisture (Masood Ali et al.1993, Ahad Mia and
Matiur Rahman, 1993 and Neupanae and Bharati, 1993) and that of central India is mid October
(Massod Ali et al.1993). Daly in planting progressively shortern the growing period due to rapid
rise in temperature accompanied by low moisture availability which causes inadequate biomass
production, poor pod filling and force maturity resulting poor yield (Erskine et al. 1994, Ali et al.
2000).
Mostly early maturing small seeded and some bold seeded microsparma type lentils are cultivated
in South Asia, Afganistan, Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia (Bahl, et al.1993). Genotypes which
mature relatively early are usually less affected by their environments than later maturing types.
Thus short duration cultivars by maturing rapidly may avoid substantial terminal stress
(Summerfield, 1981). It is, therefore, essential to breed short duration varieties combined with
tolerance/resistance to other important biotic and abiotic stresses would be the durable technology
for short duration environments (Saxena et al., 2005).
 Chapter 8 Page - 2

Short season environment

Although an environment is controlled by several Agro-ecological factors such as humidity,
rainfall, temperature, soil moisture etc. but for short season environment for lentil is mainly
controlled by one factor, and that is the duration of prevalence of cool temperature. Because this is
one of the major factors which determine the global distribution of crop plants. Temperature
outside optimum can detrimentally affect plant growth, productivity and quality. Optimal
temperature for cool season food legumes ranges from 15-250C for growth and development
(Clarke et al. 2005). Crop duration are extended by cool temperature (Summerfield, 1981). The
South Asia lentil season is culminated by sharp rise in temperature (>30 0C) by end of February in
central India, West Bengal, Bangladesh and early April in northern India, Nepal and Pakistan.
This high temperature coupled with low soil moisture turn the plants into force maturity / dry up
whatever stages they are. Thus the crop duration in this region varies from 100-140 days
depending on the location. So the verities to be developed for central India should be around 100
days duration, for Bangladesh 110 days and for rest of S. Asia around 140 days duration.

Methods and techniques for identification of short duration genotypes

Screening environment
The function of plant breeding is to develop varieties that are able to make more productive use of
the environment for which they are intended. The efficiency of the screening technique depends
on its ability to reproduce the most probable conditions of the development of the stress in the
target environment (Wery et al.1994). It requires characterization of this most probable stress in
its actual position in the plant cycle and its reproduction in conditions where screening of a large
number of genotypes can be made. These two steps are essential for the representativeness and the
reproducibility of screening technique.

Selection criteria
The next step is to define the traits required for target environment before screening test can be
made. As mentioned earlier that terminal heat stress is frequently associated with soil moisture
stress and it occurs at reproductive stage of growth and yields are drastically reduced. Screening
materials must be planted on optimum time for the target location. Since seed yield/plant is not
reliable criteria for selection (Erskine et al.1985; Muehlbaur et al. 1985) it was suggested to
practice another trait which is strongly associated with yield under the above stress condition and
 Chapter 8 Page - 3

has higher heritability than yield. Although one can not expect any single trait to determine yield
under drought conditions in view of the variability of stress and complexity of yield development.
In lentil early vigour was strongly correlated with biomass and seed yield and was of value in
predicting final yield (Erskine and Saxena, 1993). Singh and Singh (1969) observed that pod
number had the strongest association with grain yield and seed size had negetive association with
grain yield. Like wise other researchers reproted the greater condition of pod number, as well as
primary and secondary branches to grain yield (Sarwar et al.1984, Rajput and Sarwar, 1989,
Ramgiry et al. 1989). Muehlbauer et al. (1985) concluded that branching pattern and number of
fruits to reach maturity are the most important characters to contribute positively to yield. Waldia
and Chhabra (1989) mentioned that the number of pods was the only character that can be
imroved by simple selection. Therefore, early maturing plants having early growth vigour and
greater number of pods should be selected for short season environment which will be able to
escape terminal stresses.

Creation of variability
The scope of selection of desirable genotypes depends upon the availibility of genetic variability.
Some of the promising traits observed in the indegnous gene poof of South Asian region are early
maturity, higher number of pods/plant, seed size (>2.5 g/100) and higher number of pods/cluster
(Bhag Singh and Rana, 1993).
Extreme specificity of adoption limits the scope of direct introduction of exotic germplsasm.
Sharma et al. (1993) reported that most of the bold seeded Indian lentil (microsperma type) are
early maturing and the Mediterranean macrosperma lentils are late maturing. Podding potential
was higher in small seeded genotypes than bold seeded ones and small seeded types have better
stability.
These variabilities should be exploited to widen the genetic base through hybridization. A wide
range of variation including transgressive segregation was obtained both for earliness and lateness
from a cross between indegenous Microsperma x Macrosperma (Precoz) type and from these
variants early maturing, large seeded, tolerance to high temperature and high yielding plant were
isolated (Sharma et al.1993, and Tufail et al.1993). Therefore, the approach for widening the
genetic variability would be introgression of exotic genes from diverse origins into locally
adapted cultivars.
 Chapter 8 Page - 4

Breeding methods
Muehlbauer and Slinkand (1981) described in details the breeding methods for lentil, their
advantages, limitations and which method to be followed under which situation.
Porta- Puglia et al. (1993) also elaborated the methodologies for single and multiple stress
resistance breeding in cool season food legumes. They inferred that generally pedigree methoed is
followed for disease and insect resistance and bulk method is followed for physical stresses such
as drought, cold, heat etc. ICARDA follows Bulk-Pedignee (BP) method in which crosses are
advanced through BP from F2-F4 and plant progeny rows are developed in F5. Singh (1993)
suggested the same method of selection for blight, cold and terminal drought resistance breeding
in chickpea with a schematic diagram.
All the four South Asian countries initiated their lentil breeding programme with the selection
from land races and exotic germplasm and still it is being continued. Many varieties have been
developed by this method as shown in Table-1. From eighties mutation breeding and
hybridization programme got priority. In case of mutation breeding pedigree method has been
followed and several varieties have bean developed. In case of hybridization programme pedigree
method has been followed for selection of single trait like disease resistance, seed size etc. But
when selection is done considering several characters such as pod number, seed size, maturity,
disease reaction, yield etc, then Bulk-pedigree has been followed like ICARDA. Of course,
always yield is of greatest importance. Only short duration variety will not be accepted unless its
yield is high or at par with the check variety. So the breeder should look for early maturing plants
with more pods and early vigour to get early maturing high yielding genotypes. For this purpose
bulk-pedigree method will be more appropriate with little modification and that is, the plants with
similar maturity group should be bulked together from F2-F4. Plant to row will be developed in F5
and uniform lines will be evaluated from F6 onwards under preliminary yield trials, multilocation
yield trials etc. for selecting the desired genotype for releasing as a verity. All the fours countries
of S. Asia are following this method (Sharma et al. 1993; Verma et al.1993; Tufail et al. 1993,
Rahman and Sarker, 1993. Bharati and Neupane, 1993) and field screening has been practiced at
hot spots for particular trait. No controlled condition has been created for multi-trait screening
except for single trait viz. root trait for drought screening, creation of disease pressure for
screening against disease etc. The sites for lentil breeding in India are New Delhi, Kanpur,
Shehore, Pant Nagar, in Pakistan Islamabad and Faisalabad, in Nepal it is Rampur and Nepalganj
and Ishurdi in Bangladesh.
 Chapter 8 Page - 5

Success in breeding for short duration environment

There has been a considerable success in breeding lentil in South Asia and ICARDA has played
great role in this endeavour by supply germplasms, advance lines, early generation materials (F3)
and different nurseries. They have also made target cross for these countries using at least one
land race of that country, supplied them the F3 so that selection can be made under local
environment. Thus several varieties have been developed as shown in Table-1. Although many
varieties have been released in S. Asia targeting specific trait and environment but all are not
suitable for short duration environment. Therefore, only short duration varieties released after
1980 (100-140 days) are listed in Table-1.

Thus so far Bangladesh has released 7 varieties, Nepal 5, Pakistan..., India... varieties. Main
features of these varieties are also presented in the Table.

Table-1. List of short duration varieties released in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan
after 1980.
Country Name of Year of Origin Days to 1000 seed Yield
variety release Maturity Wt.(g) potential
(t/ha)
India - - - - -

Bangladesh Barimasur-1 1991 Selection from local 110-115 15-16 1.5-1.8

germplasm
Barimasur-2 1993 F3, ICARDA 110-115 12-13 1.5-2.0
Barimasur-3 1996 Local cross 100-105 22-23 1.7-2.0
Barimasur-4 1996 F3, ICARDA 115-120 17-18 2.0-22
Barimasur-6 2006 F3, ICARDA 105-110 19-20 1.8-2.0
Barimasur-7 2006 F3, ICARDA 105-110 22-23 2.0-2.5
Binamasur-1 2002 Mutation 125-130 15-16 (black) 1.5-2.0

Pakistan Mauschra-89 1989 ? 120-130 20-23 ?

Masoor-85 1989 ? 130-140 16-17 ?
Masoor-93 1993 ? 130-140 18-20 ?
Masoor-2006 2006 Mutation ? 24-25 >2.0

Nepal Simal - 1989 India (LG-7) 140-143 14-18 2.1-2.5

Sikhar - 1989 Pakistan (ILL-4404) 140-143 13-16 2.5-3.0
Khajura masuro-1 1999 India (LG-198) 125-128 13-17 1.5-2.0
Khajura masuro-2 1999 India (PL-639) 130-134 14-19 2.1-2.5
Shital 2004 ICARDA 130-133 11-20 1.8-2.0
 Chapter 8 Page - 6

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