title: Lathyrus diversity: available resources with relevance to crop improvement--L. sativus and L. cicera as case studies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Lathyrus genus includes 160 species, some of which have economic importance as food, fodder and ornamental crops (mainly L. sativus, L. cicera and L. odoratus, respectively) and are cultivated in >1·5 Mha worldwide. However, in spite of their well-recognized robustness and potential as a source of calories and protein for populations in drought-prone and marginal areas, cultivation is in decline and there is a high risk of genetic erosion.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this review, current and past taxonomic treatments of the Lathyrus genus are assessed and its current status is examined together with future prospects for germplasm conservation, characterization and utilization. A particular emphasis is placed on the importance of diversity analysis for breeding of L. sativus and L. cicera.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Efforts for improvement of L. sativus and L. cicera should concentrate on the development of publicly available joint core collections, and on high-resolution genotyping. This will be critical for permitting decentralized phenotyping. Such a co-ordinated international effort should result in more efficient and faster breeding approaches, which are particularly needed for these neglected, underutilized Lathyrus species.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República (EAN), Apartado 127, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Vaz Patto
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rubiales
mesh_terms: D044822:Biodiversity; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000145:classification*; D027807:Lathyrus / Q000145:classification*; D010802:Phylogeny
keywords: Diversity; Fabaceae; L. cicera; Lathyrus sativus; genetic resources; legumes; plant breeding; protein crops