Protein Biofortification in Lentils (Lens culinaris Medik.) Toward Human Health

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is a nutritionally dense crop with significant quantities of
protein, low-digestible carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins. The amino acid composition
of lentil protein can impact human health by maintaining amino acid balance for physiological
functions and preventing protein-energy malnutrition and non-communicable diseases
(NCDs). Thus, enhancing lentil protein quality through genetic biofortification, i.e.,
conventional plant breeding and molecular technologies, is vital for the nutritional
improvement of lentil crops across the globe. This review highlights variation in protein
concentration and quality across Lens species, genetic mechanisms controlling amino
acid synthesis in plants, functions of amino acids, and the effect of antinutrients on the
absorption of amino acids into the human body. Successful breeding strategies in lentils
and other pulses are reviewed to demonstrate robust breeding approaches for protein
biofortification. Future lentil breeding approaches will include rapid germplasm selection,
phenotypic evaluation, genome-wide association studies, genetic engineering, and
genome editing to select sequences that improve protein concentration and quality