The Biology of Legumes and Their Agronomic, Economic, and Social Impact
Creators
- Marta W. Vasconcelos1
- Michael A. Grusak2
- Elisabete Pinto1
- Ana Gomes1
- Helena Ferreira1
- Bálint Balázs3
- Tiziana Centofanti3
- Georgia Ntatsi4
- Dimitrios Savvas4
- Anestis Karkanis5
- Michael Williams6
- Albert Vandenberg7
- Luiza Toma8
- Shailesh Shrestha8
- Faical Akaichi8
- Christine Oré Barrios8
- Sabine Gruber9
- Euan K. James10
- Marta Maluk10
- Alison Karley10
- Pete Iannetta10
- 1. CBQF—Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina—Laboratório Associado, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia
- 2. USDA-ARS Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center, 1616 Albrecht Blvd. North, Fargo, ND 58102-2765, USA
- 3. Environmental Social Science Research Group (ESSRG), Budapest, Hungary
- 4. Laboratory of Vegetable Production Athens, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- 5. Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece
- 6. Department of Botany, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- 7. Department of Plant Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
- 8. Land Economy, Environment and Society, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FH, UK
- 9. University of Hohenheim, Institute of Crop Production (340a), 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
- 10. Ecological Sciences, James Hutton Institute, Dundee, Scotland, UK
Description
Intensive agriculture and meat-based westernized diets have brought a heavy environmental burden to the planet. Legumes, or pulses, are members of the large Fabaceae (Leguminosae) family, which comprise about 5% of all plant species. They are ancient crops whose popularity both for farmers and consumers has gone through several stages of acceptance, and in recent years, legumes have regained their luster. This is due to a global understanding that: (1) farming systems need to promote biodiversity, (2) biological nitrogen fixation is an important tool to reduce the application of external chemical inputs, namely in the form of nitrogen fertil- izers, and that (3) plant-based foods have fewer adverse environmental effects per unit weight, per serving, per unit of energy, or per protein weight than do animal source foods, across various environmental indicators. Legumes play a key role in answering these three global challenges and are pivotal actors in the diversification and sustainable intensification of agriculture, particularly in light of new and urgent challenges such as climate change. In this chapter, we showcase the importance of legumes as contemporary agents of change, whose impacts start in the field, but then branch out into competitive global economies, modernized societies, and ultimately, improved food security and human health.
Files
2020 MWV TRUE Chapter leguminosas.pdf
Files
(462.9 kB)
Name | Size | Download all |
---|---|---|
md5:e4cdb31b5e17237c7055c36875697ec9
|
462.9 kB | Preview Download |