Nutritive quality and protein production from grain legumes in a boreal climate

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Boreal cropping systems are heavily focused on the production of small-grain cereals; to improve their resilience to climate change and to achieve food and feed security, diversification is needed. This study investigated the potential of faba bean, narrow-leafed lupin and lentil as protein crops in southern Finland, where faba bean is traditional but the other two are novel.

Phenotyping: Using Machine Learning for Improved Pairwise Genotype Classification Based on Root Traits

“…This is despite grain legumes representing a significant source of protein for food (Vaz Patto et al, 2014; Multari et al, 2015) and feed (Jezierny et al, 2010; Koivunen et al, 2014), and legume cultivation reducing the need for N fertilizer even for subsequent crops in the rotation (Preissel et al, 2015). Recent studies have identified a comparative lack of breeding investment in Europe to improve grain legume adaptation to local agro-climatic conditions and management techniques (Annicchiarico and Iannucci, 2008; Lizarazo et al, 2015). While distinct leguminous crops are used locally for food and feed, and local cultivars are kept in numerous collections in gene banks, research institutions, and also in farms/home gardens, this genetic pool cannot be used at its full potential for large-scale agriculture and breeding programs until important traits have been determined.…”

Evaluation of vegetable–faba bean (Vicia faba L.) intercropping under Latvian agro‐ecological conditions

“…The yields from the field trials developed in the present work were rather low in comparison with the average yield in the region, which ranges from 0.30 to 0.49 kg m −2 . Such low yield is not a result of the cropping variants assayed, but due to the unfavourable and critical weather conditions – low precipitation events during the seed growth period – at the beginning of August for both seasons.…”

“…Regarding protein content in the faba bean seeds, in 2014 and 2015, a significant influence of the faba bean genotype and growing conditions (influenced by the particular climatic features of each season) was found, whilst the intercrop variant remained a less relevant factor with no significant influence …”

“…It was shown that the protein content in faba bean is not significantly influenced by the neighbouring vegetable crop, whereas this is determined by the genotype and particular climatic conditions. Similar observations have been mentioned also by Lizarazo et al ., who reported average protein concentrations ranging from 280 to 370 g kg −1 , which highlights that the faba bean genotype and the climatic conditions are the most relevant factors influencing the protein content in this legume …”

“…Thus, this parameter provides rational information on the correlation between the amount of precipitation in the period, when average day temperature exceeds +10 °C, and sum of temperature in degrees in the same period. The HTC was calculated by applying the formula described by Selyaninov: HTC = ∑ x /∑ t × 10, where ∑ x is the sum of the precipitation and ∑ t is the sum of the temperatures in the period, when the temperature has been above 10 °C …”