GREEN SEED COAT COLOUR RETENTION IN LENTIL - University ...

desirable, showing little genetic variation for the trait in current Canadian green
lentil cultivars.
Chlorophyll was extracted from seed coats of some of the RILs. The
amount of total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a, and chlorophyll b was compared to the
Acurum ® scores using regression analysis. The study found that there was
significant relationship between chlorophyll a and b content and the index score,
explaining 32 and 37 percent of the variation, respectively.
Another portion of the study was to determine if preharvest treatment of the
green lentil crop has an effect on the green seed coat colour of the sample. A set of
genotypes consisting of all registered green seed coat cultivars was grown at two
locations in Saskatchewan in both 2005 and 2006. Prior to harvest a plot of each
genotype was swathed, and a second plot was desiccated with diquat. After harvest
the samples were analyzed for green seed coat colour using the Acurum ® machine.
In general, across most genotypes, sites, and years, swathing produced a
significantly more desirable green lentil sample. The desirable green parent from
the RILs, 1294M-23 produced the most desirable green lentil sample in this study.
When the maturity rating was correlated to the Acurum ® score a significant positive
relationship was found in 2005 but not in 2006. This showed that lines with later
maturity could be associated with more desirable green seed coat colour in some
environments. Thus caution must be taken when selecting for more desirable
phenotypes that genetic gains are being made rather than indirect selection for
longer maturity.
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