Register of Australian grain legume cultivars. Lens culinaris (lentil) cv. Northfield

Abstract

Lens culinaris subsp. microsperma cv. Northfield was selected, from the ICARDA breeding line ILL5588 (originally collected from Jordan), for uniform height, maturity, seed type, colour and freedom from symptoms of Ascochyta lentis. Growth habit is erect becoming trailing during flowering. Plant height at maturity is slightly shorter than Aldinga but Northfield matures several days earlier. Northfield is less likely to lodge at maturity than many other cultivars making harvesting easier. Pods are bivalved, rhomboid and 2-seeded. Seeds are biconvex with a uniform red testa without marbling or speckling. Seed size is small (2.5-3.5 g per 100 seeds). It was evaluated in field trials in South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia over 4 years. Mean yields (1.18 t/ha) were 19% less than Aldinga (1.4 t/ha) but exceeded that of Kye (0.93 t/ha). Northfield has field resistance to A. lentis with lower levels of seed infection (1%) than Aldinga (24-48%). This results in seeds being free of blemishes, an advantage when seed is marketed whole and for seed purposes. Seed protein content of Northfield (22.2-25.2%) is similar to that of Aldinga. Northfield is less prone to seed cleaning damage than similar cultivars.