In a recent study published in the journal PLOS One, a team of researchers has identified six lentil species that are tolerant of alkaline and saline soil. The group consisted of researchers from various institutes of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur.
The study from IISc found a previously unidentified yeast-like symbiont inside the lac insect Kerria lacca, which gives the insect its distinctive red colour and, may also provide other nutrients in return for shelter.