Digenic control of cotyledon colour in lentil (Lens culinaris)

In spite of reports suggesting digenic nature of inheritance of cotyledon colour in lentil, the precise nature of gene interactions is unknown. A technique has been developed which allows, with some experience, near-perfect identification of cotyledon colour in intact seeds without removing testa. Such screening led to classification of the conventionally known “yellow” cotyledons into two easily distinguished categories: yellow and brown (dirty yellow). These two cotyledon colours are caused by dominant state of two unlinked genes, designatedas Y (for yellow) and B (for brownish or dirty yellow). Double dominant condition YB gives orange (or red) cotyledons, while double recessive state yy bb produces light green cotyledons.