Characterization of lentil ( Lens culinaris Medik.) core collection for prebiotic carbohydrates, protein content, and antioxidant capacity

Abstract Lentil ( Lens culinaris Medik.) is an important pulse crop with notable functional food properties, characterized by high protein content, low levels of digestible carbohydrates, and a diverse array of bioactive compounds that contribute to human health. In the present study, a recently developed lentil core set of 143 accessions – 118 Indian (111 indigenous and seven released varieties) and 25 exotic lines – was evaluated across two locations. Carbohydrate fractions, protein content, and antioxidant activity were assessed in each genotype. ANOVA (analysis of variance) revealed significant genotypic effects for all traits across environments. Enzymatic analyses revealed mean concentrations of 0.11 g/100 g for D-glucose, 1.17 g/100 g for sucrose, and 1.91 g/100 g for raffinose among the studied genotypes. Protein content ranged from 19.66 to 24.05% (mean 21.74%), while antioxidant activity varied from 0.45 to 1.95% (mean 1.10%). Heritability estimates were high for all traits within individual environments but moderate to low across the locations, indicating significant genotype × environment interactions. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the first two components explained 58.3% of the total variation, with PC1 and PC2 accounting for 38.0% and 20.3%, respectively. Trait loadings showed positive associations of glucose and antioxidant activity with PC1, whereas sucrose, raffinose, and protein content exhibited negative loadings, reflecting contrasting biochemical profiles. Cluster analysis grouped the genotypes into five distinct clusters, indicating substantial genetic variability within the core set. Cluster I was the largest (63 genotypes), while Clusters V and III were the smallest, comprising 4 and 9 genotypes, respectively. Sucrose and raffinose showed a significant positive correlation across environments. The Multi-trait Genotype-Ideotype Distance Index (MGIDI) identified 14 superior genotypes – IC 384473, EC 223243, IC 385824, IC 520809, IC 201798, EC 33920, IC 201772, IC 241507, IC 345478, IC 345433, EC 440747, IC 241488, EC 267595-A, and IC 398793 with high potential for enhanced functional food traits. The identified genotypes may be strategically utilized in the breeding programs to augment nutritional quality attributes in lentil varieties.