<p style="text-align: justify;">The lentil line RH44 was developed to allow the use of imidazolinone herbicides, as a weed control option in lentil production. This trait was developed using chemically induced seed mutagenesis and whole plant selection procedures. This rice line expresses a mutated form of the acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS) enzyme, which renders the plant tolerant to levels of imazethapyr used in weed control.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">AHAS catalyses the first step in the biosynthesis of the branched-chain amino acids isoleucine, leucine and valine, and is active in the glycolytic pathway of plant metabolism. When conventional lentil plants are treated imazethapyr, the herbicide binds to a specific site on the enzyme, thereby inhibiting its activity. The result of this enzyme inhibition is a decrease in the synthesis of these amino acids, and an accumulation of toxic levels of alpha-ketoglutarate, all of which results in the eventual death of the plant.</p>
