Potential and realities of enhancing rapeseed- and grain legume-based protein production in a northern climate

Abstract

<jats:title>SUMMARY</jats:title><jats:p>Crop-based protein self-sufficiency in Finland is low. Cereals dominate the field cropping systems in areas that are also favourable for legumes and rapeseed. The present paper estimated the realistic potential for expanding protein crop production taking account of climatic conditions and constraints, crop rotation requirements, field sizes, soil types and likelihood for compacted soils in different regions. The potential for current expansion was estimated by considering climate change scenarios for 2025 and 2055. By using actual regional mean yields for the 2000s, without expecting any yield increase during the expansion period (due to higher risks of pests and diseases), potential production volumes were estimated. Since rapeseed, unlike grain legumes, is a not a true minor crop, its expansion potential is currently limited. Thus, most potential is from the introduction of legumes into cropping systems. The current 100000 ha of protein crops could be doubled, and areas under cultivation could reach 350000 and 390000 ha as a result of climate warming by 2025 and 2055, respectively. Such increases result mainly from the longer growing seasons projected for the northern cropping regions of Finland. Self-sufficiency in rapeseed could soon increase from 0·25 to 0·32, and then to 0·50 and 0·60 by 2025 and 2055, respectively. If legume production expands according to its potential, it could replace 0·50–0·60 of currently imported soybean meal, and by 2025 it could replace it completely. Replacement of soybean meal is suitable for ruminants, but it presents some problems for pig production, and is particularly challenging for poultry.</jats:p>

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

“…The Finnish dependency on imported soya bean could be reduced by increasing the cultivation of protein crops, with some authors favoring the regionally traditional field pea and turnip rape, in spite of the low yield and high fertilizer requirements of the latter, 18 and others favoring higher-protein legumes such as faba bean and agricultural lupins. 9 Hence we set out to explore the possibility to produce plant protein for food and feed uses from a range of grain legume species, focusing on cultivars that might be adapted to short growing seasons.…”

Characterizing an outperforming pea cultivar for intercropping with oat at high latitudes

“…Pea (Pisum sativum L.) is a minor crop in Finland, which was cultivated on some 12000 hectares in 2015 (corresponding to ~0 .5 % of cultivated area), of which 2700 hectares were organic (www.stat.luke.fi/en). However, due to the warming climate-induced potential for longer growing seasons and subsequent higher yields, an expansion of pea cultivation from its current minor and regionally localized production is appealing (Peltonen-Sainio et al 2009, Peltonen-Sainio et al 2013. In general, pea exhibits high variation in yield and quality at high latitudes.…”

Does crop rotation with legumes provide an efficient means to reduce nutrient loads and GHG emissions?

“…Von Richthofen et al (2006) examined the cultivation of grain legumes in rotation with cereal crops and oilseeds in France and Germany and found that mineral fertilization, pesticide use, and cultivation costs decreased, while the yield of the subsequent crop increased (similar findings can be found in Nevens andReheul 2001 andHuang andUri 1993 for maize, and in Preissel et al's 2015 European review). With increased use of legumes many countries could furthermore improve their self-sufficiency in protein and nitrogen (see de Visser et al 2014 for the European Union (EU); and Peltonen-Sainio et al 2013;and Nykänen et al 2012 for Finland).…”