Molecular, Genetic and Agronomic Approaches to Utilizing Pulses as Cover Crops and Green Manure into Cropping Systems

Abstract

Cover crops constitute one of the most promising agronomic practices towards a more sustainable agriculture. Their beneficial effects on main crops, soil and environment are many and various, while risks and disadvantages may also appear. Several legumes show a high potential but further research is required in order to suggest the optimal legume cover crops for each case in terms of their productivity and ability to suppress weeds. The additional cost associated with cover crops should also be addressed and in this context the use of grain legumes such as cowpea, faba bean and pea could be of high interest. Some of the aspects of these grain legumes as far as their use as cover crops, their genetic diversity and their breeding using conventional and molecular approaches are discussed in the present review. The specific species seem to have a high potential for use as cover crops, especially if their noticeable genetic diversity is exploited and their breeding focuses on several desirable traits.

Preserving the nutritional quality of crop plants under a changing climate: importance and strategies

“…Besides decreasing denitrification, the inclusion of legumes in intercropping systems has also contributed to improve P-fertilizer-use efficiency and led to increased plant availability of P, Fe and Zn (Xue et al 2016). Although the use of legumes or legume-residues as cover crops (green manure) might be associated with some disadvantages, such as, lack of persistence or excess N supply in high vigor crops, they have much lower environmental impact than non-leguminous crops, lower energy demand per unit area and lower global warming potential (Tani et al 2017). This strategy is key in the modern paradigm of 'sustainable intensification ' (Mungai et al 2016;Pretty et al 2018), where we find it urgent to shift agriculture practices to be more sustainable and efficient, while also meeting rising human needs.…”

Inheritance of resistance of two pea lines to powdery mildew

“…It is interesting to note that the resistance mediated by the er‐2 gene is expressed only in leaves either at high temperatures (>25 °C) or in mature leaves, and it is specific for particular geographical regions (Barilli, Rubiales, Gjetting, & Lyngkjaer, 2014; Bheri et al., 2016; Bhosle, Marathe, & Makandar, 2019; Dhall, 2015). The er‐1 gene confers systemic and immune resistance, while er‐2 and Er‐3 genes mainly regulate a post‐penetration hypersensitive resistance response (Djebbi, Bouktila, Makni, Makni, & Mezghani, 2015; García, Rubiales, & Fondevilla, 2014; Tani, Abraham, Chachalis, & Travlos, 2017). Further molecular and genetic mapping studies are needed locate the gene that confers pod resistance to PM within the pea genome.…”

Tracking agronomic diversity in land races of cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walpers] collected from Pakistan

“…For strengthening gene pool one way is to collect material from geographically diverse origins from proposed centers of diversity in case of individual samples. Authentic samples from the complete geographical range of the crop species can help maintaining conservation of co-adapted genes [13][14][15]. Cowpea is an important summer pulse crop and widely cultivated under rainfed areas.…”