Current Status and Advances in Genetics and Breeding for Rust Resistance in Lentil

Lentil rust, caused by Uromyces viciae-fabae, is one of the most destructive foliar diseases of lentil, capable of causing severe yield losses under favourable conditions. Conventional management strategies, such as fungicide application and cultural practices, are either environmentally unsustainable or provide only partial control, making host plant resistance the most effective and eco-friendly approach for long-term management. Extensive germplasm screening, mutation breeding, and genetic analyses have identified resistant and partially resistant lines, with resistance frequently governed by single or duplicate dominant genes. Molecular markers have been used to map rust resistance loci in lentil; however, many of the reported markers are located at relatively large genetic distances (>5-10 cM) from the target genes, reducing their utility for precision breeding. Integrating genome-wide association studies (GWAS) with genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) offers an opportunity to discover more tightly linked markers, while advances in high-throughput sequencing can aid in pinpointing candidate resistance genes. Furthermore, genome editing technologies such as CRISPR/Cas provide new possibilities by targeting susceptibility genes or negative regulators of defense pathways, as successfully demonstrated in wheat leaf rust, thereby opening a promising avenue for lentil improvement.