CDC Cricket

Lentil

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'CDC Asterix', 'CDC Imvincible' and 'CDC Berilo'

Summary: The stem of ‘CDC Cricket' has a low to medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration whereas the stem of ‘CDC Asterix' has an absent or very low intensity of anthocyanin coloration, the stem of ‘CDC Imvincible' has anthocyanin coloration that ranges between a medium to strong and strong intensity and that of ‘CDC Berilo' has a medium to strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration. The leaflet of ‘CDC Cricket' is shorter than that of ‘CDC Imvincible'. The plants of ‘CDC Cricket' flower later than those of ‘CDC Asterix', ‘CDC Imvincible' and ‘CDC Berilo'. The plants of ‘CDC Cricket' are taller than the plants of ‘CDC Asterix', ‘CDC Imvincible' and ‘CDC Berilo'. At maturity, the pod of ‘CDC Cricket' is longer than that of ‘CDC Imvincible'. The plants of ‘CDC Cricket' mature later than those of ‘CDC Asterix', ‘CDC Imvincible' and ‘CDC Berilo'. At the dry seed stage, the seed weight of ‘CDC Cricket' is greater than that of ‘CDC Asterix', ‘CDC Imvincible' and ‘CDC Berilo'. The plants of ‘CDC Cricket' are not tolerant to imidazolinone herbicides whereas those of ‘CDC Imvincible' and ‘CDC Berilo' are tolerant to imidazolinone herbicides.

Description:

COTYLEDON: yellow

PLANT: flowers mid- to late season, matures mid- to late season

STEM: low to medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration

LEAF: elliptic, medium length, medium width, medium number of pairs of leaflets at the first flowering node

FLOWER: medium size, white standard with weak violet stripes, violet stripes absent on wings

POD: mainly two ovules, yellow at maturity, medium length, truncate shaped apex
DRY SEED: ranges between very narrow to narrow and narrow, elliptic profile in longitudinal cross section, yellowish green, no patterning on testa, dull brown hilum

REACTION TO CHEMICALS: not tolerant to imidazolinone herbicides.

USE: human consumption

Origin & Breeding History: ‘CDC Cricket' (experimental designation 6795-12) originated from the cross between ‘4475-13' and ‘CDC Asterix' conducted at the Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 2013. A single plant selection was made from the F2 generation with further selections made at the F3 generation based on yield, seed weight, seed size, seed colour, cotyledon colour, days to flower, days to maturity, lodging resistance, plant height and disease resistance. Breeder seed was established using 23 F12 sub-lines in 2024.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for ‘CDC Cricket' were conducted at the Crop Development Centre of the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan during the 2024 and 2025 growing seasons. The trials consisted of 3 replications per variety arranged in a RCB design. Each replicate consisted of 3 rows spaced 30 cm apart, with a row length of 3.66 metres and a planting density of 94 seeds per square metre. Measured characteristics were based on 30 measurements per variety per year, except for seed weight which was on 12 measurements per variety per year. Mean differences were significant at the 5% probability level based on a Student's t-test. The herbicide tolerance was evaluated by spraying plants at the 6 to 8 node stage with 0, 1, 2 and 4 times the recommended application rates for two separate imidazolinone herbicide treatment types. The first herbicide treatment was Solo ADV (at rates of 20, 40, and 80 grams active ingredient per hectare) and the second herbicide treatment was a combination of Odyssey (at rates of 30, 60, and 120 grams active ingredient per hectare) with Merge (0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0% volume by volume), respectively. The Canadian Weed Science Society 0-100 Rating Scale for Herbicide Efficacy and Crop Phytotoxicity was used to assess the plant injury. The plant injury ratings for herbicide tolerance traits were assessed visually at 16 and 23 days after treatment with plant chlorosis, stunting, and overall biomass being compared against untreated control plants.

Comparison tables for 'CDC Cricket' with reference varieties 'CDC Asterix', 'CDC Imvincible' and 'CDC Berilo'

Leaflet length (cm)

Days to flowering (days from planting to when 50% of the plants have one open flower)

Plant height (from the ground to the tip of the extended foliage) (cm)

Pod length at maturity (excluding beak) (cm)

Days to maturity (days from planting to when 90% of the pods are golden brown)

Seed weight (grams per 100 seeds) (g)

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Lentil: ‘CDC Cricket' (top) with reference varieties ‘CDC Asterix' (middle top), ‘CDC Imvincible' (middle bottom) and 'CDC Berilo' (bottom)

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Lentil: ‘CDC Cricket' (left) with reference varieties ‘CDC Asterix' (centre left), ‘CDC Imvincible' (centre right) and 'CDC Berilo' (right)