Lead institution
Clemson University
Principal Investigator
Dil Thavarajah
Crops
Lentil
Product profile
Nutritionally enhanced lentil
Project duration
2020-2021
Breeding pulse crops towards protein biofortification—Selecting high lentil protein quality accessions using a non-destructive phenotyping tool
The overall project goal is to develop biofortified lentil cultivars with increased nutritional quality (protein, prebiotic carbohydrates, and micronutrients) for lentil crop improvement in Asia.
Research activities include:
- Develop a high-throughput non-destructive phenotyping tool to characterize the protein quality of cool season food legumes as sources of complete plant-based protein.
- Validate this phenotyping tool using a chromatographic analytical chemistry method developed by the Clemson University Pulse Quality and Nutrition Program.
- Test the adaptability of the phenotyping tool.
- Educate early career pulse breeders to use this rapid testing method to screen local lentil accessions for high protein quality.
