Multiple benefits of legumes for agriculture sustainability: an overview

Abstract

Food security, lowering the risk of climate change and meeting the increasing demand for energy will increasingly be critical challenges in the years to come. Producing sustainably is therefore becoming central in agriculture and food systems. Legume crops could play an important role in this context by delivering multiple services in line with sustainability principles. In addition to serving as fundamental, worldwide source of high-quality food and feed, legumes contribute to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, as they release 5–7 times less GHG per unit area compared with other crops; allow the sequestration of carbon in soils with values estimated from 7.21 g kg−1 DM, 23.6 versus 21.8 g C kg−1 year; and induce a saving of fossil energy inputs in the system thanks to N fertilizer reduction, corresponding to 277 kg ha−1 of CO2 per year. Legumes could also be competitive crops and, due to their environmental and socioeconomic benefits, could be introduced in modern cropping systems to increase crop diversity and reduce use of external inputs. They also perform well in conservation systems, intercropping systems, which are very important in developing countries as well as in low-input and low-yield farming systems. Legumes fix the atmospheric nitrogen, release in the soil high-quality organic matter and facilitate soil nutrients’ circulation and water retention. Based on these multiple functions, legume crops have high potential for conservation agriculture, being functional either as growing crop or as crop residue. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Efficiency of four different seeded plants and native vegetation as cover crops in the control of soil and carbon losses by water erosion in olive orchards

“…This plant is also useful for its phytosanitary potential, especially Verticillium dahliae (Jurado‐Bello et al, ) currently under research. Leguminous crops are suitable for their potential fixing of atmospheric nitrogen and are highly effective for green manures (Stagnari, Maggio, Galieni, & Pisante, ). Two legumes commonly used as cover crop species in Mediterranean areas, V. sativa L. and V. ervilia L. (Gómez‐Muñoz, Hatch, Bol, & García‐Ruiz, ; Sastre et al, ), were chosen for this work.…”

Accelerating genetic gains in legumes for the development of prosperous smallholder agriculture: integrating genomics, phenotyping, systems modelling and agronomy

“…Legumes form an important component of the human diet, provide animal feed, and replenish soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation. In addition, legumes can recover unavailable forms of soil phosphorus, possibly lower the emission of greenhouse gases, and are prospective assets in future cropping systems (Stagnari et al, 2017). A recent review gives a good summary of the many virtues of food legumes and sets an agenda for their improvement in the decades to come Foyer et al, 2016).…”

Influence of Bradyrhizobia inoculation on growth, nodulation and yield performance of cowpea varieties

“…They complement staple low-protein cereal crops as a source of protein and minerals (Gharti et al, 2014). Legume crops are also valued for their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil and play an important role as a rotation crop with cereals and vegetable crops (Jensen et al, 2012;Biswas and Gresshoff, 2014;Stagnari et al, 2017). Legumes also serve as a feed crop in many farming systems and are also grown to supplement farmers' incomes (Muli and Saha, 2002;Voisin et al, 2013).…”