The contributions of grain legumes to an environmental-friendly and sustainable European Agriculture

Summary

Grain legumes are valuable protein and energy sources in animal feeds and in human diets low in meat. However, there is a considerable gap between demand and production of feed protein in the European Union and it is expected to encourage the production and use of European produced grain legume crops in the future. Thus, there is a need to gain knowledge about choice of grain legume species and cropping strategies to secure a sufficient protein supply under different environmental conditions.
Symbiotic N2 fixation (SNF) in grain legumes is an important aspect of sustainable and organic food production and long-term crop productivity (van Kessel and Hartley, 2000). Furthermore grain legumes benefit farming systems by their break-crop effect regarding diseases in cereal rich rotations (Herridge 1982).
Grain legume cultivation for mature seeds in temperate climates is almost exclusively sole cropping of pea (Pisum sativum L.). However, a major concern for farmers growing pea is the high degree of yield variability (Jensen 1996) due to e.g. drought sensitivity (Heath and Hebblethwaite 1985), lodging and weak competitive ability towards weeds (Hauggaard-Nielsen et al., 2001a). Faba bean (Vicia faba var. minor L.) and narrow-leafed lupine (Lupinus angustifolius L.) are well adapted to temperate growing conditions but seldom grown mainly due to late maturity. Improved cultivars of faba bean and lupin might be alternative grain legumes to pea with a higher protein concentration in seeds and stronger stem strength compared to pea but having potentially some of the same cropping obstacles as pea (Hebblethwaite 1982).