Legumes: Advances in Breeding, Productivity and Quality

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 November 2022) | Viewed by 19378

Special Issue Editors

Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation, State Research Institute in Puławy, Puławy, Poland
Interests: abiotic stress; plant physiology; weed control; biodiversity; organic farming; legumes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Legumes (Fabaceae family) are an important part of a sustainable farming system due to their wide use for food and feed purposes and their beneficial effect on the soil environment. Seeds are an important source of protein, starch, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Their importance is particularly high in developing countries, where legume products often form the basis of nutrition. Therefore, this group of plants can provide a solution for global food and nutrition security. In addition to their use for food and feed, legumes have the ability to fix nitrogen through symbiosis with nodule bacteria, which is of great economic and ecological importance.

The yield potential of legumes is high, but they show high yield variability depending on agrotechnical and habitat factors, especially weather. Additionally, the chemical composition of seeds can change in response to various factors. The main limitations in legume seed production and quality are related to abiotic stresses (temperature, drought, salinity) and disease and pest pressure, but also insufficient biological and breeding progress.

The purpose of this Special Issue of Agriculture is to bring together original research and review articles describing new issues and recent developments in legumes. Potential topics include, among others:

  • Varietal and agrotechnical progress;
  • Production in various farming systems;
  • Biological nitrogen fixation;
  • Forecrop value and soil quality;
  • Response to biotic and abiotic stresses;
  • Seed quality, nutritional and fodder value;
  • Food and feed safety;
  • Crop profitability and economic aspects.

Prof. Dr. Mariola Staniak
Dr. Anna Kocira
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • legumes
  • soybean
  • seed production
  • nitrogen fixation
  • varietal progress
  • biotic and abiotic stress
  • farming systems
  • fodder value
  • food and feed safety
  • forecrop quality
  • profitability of legume cultivation

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 3029 KiB  
Article
Response of Field Pea and Common Vetch, Grown as a Catch Crop, on the Sowing Method
by Edward Wilczewski, Beata Sokół, Radosław Nowicki, Irena Jug, Krzysztof Pietrzykowski and Lech Gałęzewski
Agriculture 2023, 13(1), 3; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agriculture13010003 - 20 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1279
Abstract
In temperate climate zones, long periods without rainfall or with excessive rainfall are common during sowing and the initial vegetation of a catch crop. These periods can result in poor emergence and/or low yields. The study aimed to determine the influence of the [...] Read more.
In temperate climate zones, long periods without rainfall or with excessive rainfall are common during sowing and the initial vegetation of a catch crop. These periods can result in poor emergence and/or low yields. The study aimed to determine the influence of the depth of furrow sowing of catch crops on the soil moisture in the immediate vicinity of the seeds sown (1), dynamics of germination and plant emergence (2), and the biomass yield (3). Three furrow sowing depths (4–5 cm FS-S, 6–7 cm FS-M, and 8–9 cm FS-D) were tested and compared with traditional sowing (TS) in the cultivation of field pea and spring vetch catch crops. High amounts of precipitation were stated in the study period, especially in years 2016 and 2017. Furrow sowing enabled placing seeds in soil layers characterized by higher moisture content than traditional sowing. The sowing method did not significantly affect the plant density in any of the three years of the study. Field pea turned out to be a more valuable species for cultivation in catch crops in conditions with excessive precipitation. This plant produced a significantly greater yield of above-ground dry matter and total biomass than spring vetch. The sowing method did not affect the yield of catch crop biomass in study conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Legumes: Advances in Breeding, Productivity and Quality)
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13 pages, 512 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Calcium Sulfate and Different Doses of Potassium on the Soil Enzyme Activity and the Yield of the Sward with a Mixture of Alfalfa and Grasses
by Waldemar Zielewicz, Dorota Swędrzyńska, Arkadiusz Swędrzyński, Witold Grzebisz and Piotr Goliński
Agriculture 2022, 12(4), 475; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agriculture12040475 - 28 Mar 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4177
Abstract
Between 2012 and 2015, a field experiment was conducted at the Brody Experimental Farm, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poland. The following two experimental factors were used in duplicate: calcium sulfate (CaSO4) fertilization—two levels (0 and 500 kg ha−1); [...] Read more.
Between 2012 and 2015, a field experiment was conducted at the Brody Experimental Farm, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poland. The following two experimental factors were used in duplicate: calcium sulfate (CaSO4) fertilization—two levels (0 and 500 kg ha−1); and potassium (K) fertilization—four levels (0, 30, 60, and 120 kg ha−1). The soil pH (in H2O) and enzyme activity (dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase) were determined. The potassium fertilizer had a significant influence only on the dehydrogenase activity, which increased with the dose of potassium. The research showed that the fertilization of the sward mixture of alfalfa and grasses with potassium doses of 60 and 120 kg ha−1 in the K 60 and K 120 combinations resulted in higher yields of fresh matter than in the combination without the potassium fertilizer (K 0). In the last year of the research, the additional CaSO4 fertilization resulted in the highest increase in the yield of the mixture of alfalfa and grasses, as compared with the variant without this fertilizer. The application of this fertilizer in the first years of the research also increased the yield of fresh matter. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Legumes: Advances in Breeding, Productivity and Quality)
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13 pages, 1157 KiB  
Article
Agronomical and Physiological Responses of Faba Bean Genotypes to Salt Stress
by Muhammad Afzal, Salem S. Alghamdi, Hussein H. Migdadi, Ehab El-Harty and Sulieman A. Al-Faifi
Agriculture 2022, 12(2), 235; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agriculture12020235 - 07 Feb 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2295
Abstract
Considering the importance of salinity stress and genotype screening under stress conditions, the current study evaluated faba bean genotypes in response to saline stress and identified those that were tolerant and determined the influential ratio of each yield component on seed yield under [...] Read more.
Considering the importance of salinity stress and genotype screening under stress conditions, the current study evaluated faba bean genotypes in response to saline stress and identified those that were tolerant and determined the influential ratio of each yield component on seed yield under both conditions. As a result, 12 faba bean genotypes were tested under 2 levels of salt stress (100 mM and 200 mM) and a control. The study was analyzed with multivariate (descriptive, ANOVA, PCA, biplot, cluster analysis, and indices) analysis techniques to determine the tolerance level of each genotype. Similarly, the cluster analysis results reported that faba bean genotypes were divided into two groups under the control and 100 mM salinity levels; however, the 200 mM salinity level recorded three groups of faba bean genotypes, showing that salinity stress may limit phenotypic variability among faba bean genotypes. The descriptive analysis results showed a wide range of diversity among the studied characteristics under control and salinity stress conditions. The number of seeds/plants recorded a significant association with plant height (cm) (PH), stomatal conductance (SC), days to flowering (DF), the number of pods, and seed weight (g) (SW); however, an insignificant association was recorded with leaf temperature (LT), fresh weight (g) (FW), Na+, K+, and Na/K ratio. The first three principal components (PCs) represent 81.45% of the variance among the studied traits. The most significant characteristics that contributed the most to the diversity were (PH, leaf area, SPAD reading, stomatal conductance, DF, number of pods/plants, number of seeds/pods, SW, K, and total chlorophyll content); however, the significant genotypes (Hassawi-2, Sakha, ILB-4347, Misr-3, FLIP12501FB) were present in PC1 under both conditions. The results predicted that Hassawi-2, ILB-4347, Sakha, Misr-3, and Flip12501FB were the significant (tolerant) genotypes. However, FLIP12504FB represents a sensitive genotype based on its final grain yield. The results of the indices also recorded significant index correlations with grain yield, demonstrating that these indices are effective tools for screening faba bean-tolerant genotypes under salinity stress conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Legumes: Advances in Breeding, Productivity and Quality)
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15 pages, 1752 KiB  
Article
Peas and Barley Grown in the Strip-Till One Pass Technology as Row Intercropping Components in Sustainable Crop Production
by Iwona Jaskulska, Dariusz Jaskulski and Lech Gałęzewski
Agriculture 2022, 12(2), 229; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agriculture12020229 - 04 Feb 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2460
Abstract
Simplified, ploughless tillage and multi-species, multifunctional crop production are important components of sustainable agriculture. Technologies that combine these components can play an even greater pro-ecological role in modern agriculture. The claim is made that row intercropping of spring barley and peas, along with [...] Read more.
Simplified, ploughless tillage and multi-species, multifunctional crop production are important components of sustainable agriculture. Technologies that combine these components can play an even greater pro-ecological role in modern agriculture. The claim is made that row intercropping of spring barley and peas, along with strip tillage, is an alternative to traditional methods of sowing cereals and legumes. This hypothesis was verified in a three-year field experiment in which row intercropping of barley and peas (alternating every row) was compared with traditional mixed-crop, within-row cropping (plants of each species in each row) and pure sowing of each species. Row intercropping of barley and peas using strip-till, one-pass technology, as compared with mixed-crop, within-row, improved the uniformity of plant emergence and plant density of peas before harvesting and reduced weed infestation. The productivity of barley and peas was higher than with pure sowing by 8.5% and 10.2%, respectively, and the productivity of peas was also higher by 38.9% than when sowing in mixed-crop, within-row. The yield of barley grain/seeds and peas under row-intercropping was 1.75 t ha−1 higher than the yield of pea seeds with pure sowing, and 0.79 t ha−1 lower than the yield of barley in pure sowing. On the other hand, the yield of grain/seed protein under this mixture was similar to the pea protein yield with pure sowing and 109 kg ha−1 higher than the barley protein yield with pure sowing. The positive results should inspire further research to obtain a better understanding of the conditions and effects of growing grains with legumes with strip-till one-pass technology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Legumes: Advances in Breeding, Productivity and Quality)
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11 pages, 265 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Tytanit on Fibre Fraction Content in Medicago x varia T. Martyn and Trifolium pratense L. Cell Walls
by Milena Truba and Jacek Sosnowski
Agriculture 2022, 12(2), 191; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agriculture12020191 - 29 Jan 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2048
Abstract
The aim of the experiment was to determine the effect of foliar application of Tytanit, a stimulator based on titanium, on the content of fibrous fractions, cellulose, and hemicellulose in the cell walls of h. alfalfa and r. clover. The experimental factors were [...] Read more.
The aim of the experiment was to determine the effect of foliar application of Tytanit, a stimulator based on titanium, on the content of fibrous fractions, cellulose, and hemicellulose in the cell walls of h. alfalfa and r. clover. The experimental factors were plant species and titanium doses. The content of cell wall fibrous fractions was determined with near-infrared spectroscopy, and Relative Feed Value (RFV), and cellulose and hemicellulose content were calculated based on acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL). The stimulator differentiated the content of fibrous fractions in plant cell walls. Its largest dose lowered ADF content to 2.3% in plant dry matter, and the smallest one increased accumulation of the ADL fraction by 1.6%. NDF content in the dry matter of h. alfalfa and r. clover was lower than the desired optimum for plants used as forage, and the stimulator additionally reduced it by 4.9%. Higher doses of titanium decreased carbohydrate content during unfavourable hydrothermal conditions. However, there was no significant effect of differentiated Tytanit doses on the RFV value. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Legumes: Advances in Breeding, Productivity and Quality)

Review

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13 pages, 581 KiB  
Review
Restoring the Importance of Cereal-Grain Legume Mixtures in Low-Input Farming Systems
by Jerzy Księżak, Mariola Staniak and Jarosław Stalenga
Agriculture 2023, 13(2), 341; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agriculture13020341 - 30 Jan 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2520
Abstract
In the paper, we overview the benefits of cereal-grain legume mixtures in low-input farming systems and identify the key factors affecting their agricultural performance. The review was based on the data collected from databases such as Google Scholar, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect. [...] Read more.
In the paper, we overview the benefits of cereal-grain legume mixtures in low-input farming systems and identify the key factors affecting their agricultural performance. The review was based on the data collected from databases such as Google Scholar, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect. The gathered literature covered the original research articles, reviews, book chapters, and, in a few cases, conference proceedings. The focus was on literature coming from Mediterranean countries and Central-Eastern Europe, especially from Poland. Originating from two different plant families, legumes and cereals complement each other. The legumes provide biologically fixed nitrogen for the cereals in the mixture, but also increase its pool available to the following crops. Additional benefits include, but are not limited to more efficient pathogen and weed control, supply of high-quality fodder, and improved economic efficiency. Cultivation of crops after such mixtures usually results in higher and more stable yields. The productivity of cereal-grain legume mixtures largely depends on the soil factors (soil type, pH, water availability, etc.), crop species, crop variety, and crop management. Cereal-grain legume mixtures are particularly relevant to the poor (sandy) soils which are often unsuitable for the production of the components grown as a sole crop and are often linked with low-input farming systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Legumes: Advances in Breeding, Productivity and Quality)
28 pages, 3007 KiB  
Review
Responses of Soybean to Selected Abiotic Stresses—Photoperiod, Temperature and Water
by Mariola Staniak, Ewa Szpunar-Krok and Anna Kocira
Agriculture 2023, 13(1), 146; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agriculture13010146 - 05 Jan 2023
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3214
Abstract
The sharp increase in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) acreage in the late 20th century and early 21st century is due to the demand for edible oil and feed protein. However, a limiting factor in the extent of soybean cultivation is its [...] Read more.
The sharp increase in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) acreage in the late 20th century and early 21st century is due to the demand for edible oil and feed protein. However, a limiting factor in the extent of soybean cultivation is its high heat requirements and response to photoperiod. Most varieties are short-day plants and are generally the best-yielding genotypes. At higher latitudes (longer day length), there is a delay in the occurrence of subsequent developmental stages and problems with plant maturation before the onset of autumn frost. Global warming allows the cultivation range of warm-season species (including soya) to be shifted; however, periodic droughts and very high temperatures limit crop production. Adverse weather events result in a reduction in soybean seed yield of around 30%. Environmental stresses related to day length, high and low temperatures and water shortage or excess have the greatest impact on soybean yields, as we have no influence on them and can only, to a very limited extent, offset their negative effects. This paper reviews the recent world literature on how soybean responds to these stress factors. The results of our own research were also used. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Legumes: Advances in Breeding, Productivity and Quality)
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