Pulses are important sources of proteins in vegetarian diet. However, genetic improvement in production and productivity of pulse crops has been very slow owing to several constraints. The present view of researchers is that the effectiveness and efficiency of conventional breeding can be significantly improved by using molecular markers. Nowadays, molecular markers are routinely utilized worldwide in all major crops as a component of breeding. The pace of development of molecular markers and other genomic sources has been accelerated in chickpea, pigeon pea and some other pulses, and marker-trait associations have been established for a number of important agronomic traits. The efforts are underway to use high-throughput genotyping platforms besides developing more genomic resources in other pulses. So far, progress in the use of marker-assisted selection as a part of pulse breeding programmes has been very slow and limited to few pulse crops such as chickpea and common bean. In this article, we have reviewed the progress made, limitations encountered and future possibilities for the application of marker-assisted selection in the genetic improvement of pulse crops.

A study was conducted to study mode of inheritance of qualitative and quantitative traits in six inter sub-specific crosses (Lens culinaris × Lens culinaris ssp. orientalis). The results showed monogenic inheritance for leaf pigmentation, leaf pubescence, seed cotyledon color and digenic inheritance for tendril formation and seedling stem pigmentation. A wide range of genetic variability was observed agronomically important quantitative traits in inter sub-specific crosses. Further, transgressive segregants were also identified in the progeny of each wide cross for the studied traits. The moderate (52.5%) to high heritability (97.5%) observed for quantitatively inherited traits suggests the effectiveness of selection for these traits in segregating and later generations. These findings indicate that Lens culinaris ssp. orientalis can be used for making genetic improvement for yield contributing traits in lentil.