The Lentil: Botany, Production and Uses

By: William Erskine and Ashutosh Sarker and Balram Sharma and Fred J. Muehlbauer

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Synopsis: The lentil has an ancient origin but is now confronted with issues of food security, poverty, water scarcity and the need to find sustainable agricultural systems in a changing climate. A crop primarily grown in the developing world, it is ideally suited to address these issues through its ability to use water efficiently and grow in marginal environments as well as being high in protein and easily digestable. In the last three decades, the global production of lentils has almost tripled due to larger harvest areas but also more importantly to progress in research and productivity. Chapters outline improvements in production, such as water and soil nutrient management, agronomy, mechanization and weed management. Developments in genetics and breeding are discussed alongside improved knowledge of the lentils origin, domestication, morphology and adaptation. The implementation and impact of this new research at the farm level is also addressed as well as the crops post-harvest processing and nutritional value.