Europe’s knowledge
platform for legumes

Partial shifts from animal-based to plant-based proteins in human diets could reduce environmental pressure from food systems and serve human health. Grain legumes can play an important role here. They are one of the few agricultural commodities for which Europe is not nearly self-sufficient. Here, we assessed area expansion and yield increases needed for European self-sufficiency of faba bean, pea and soybean. We show that such production could use substantially less cropland (4–8%) and reduce GHG emissions (7–22% current meat production) when substituting for animal-derived food proteins. We discuss changes required in food and agricultural systems to make grain legumes competitive with cereals for farmers and how their cultivation can help to increase sustainability of European cropping systems.

Pea (Pisum sativum) stands out as one of the most significant and productive cool-season pulse crops cultivated worldwide. Dealing with biotic stresses remains a critical challenge in fully harnessing pea’s potential productivity. As such, dedicated research and developmental efforts are necessary to make use of omic resources and advanced breeding techniques. These approaches are crucial in facilitating the rapid and timely development of high-yielding varieties that can tolerate and resist multiple stresses. The availability of advanced genomic tools, such as comprehensive genetic maps and reliable DNA markers, holds immense promise for integrating resistance genes from diverse sources. This integration helps accelerate genetic gains in pea crops. This review provides an overview of recent accomplishments in the genetic and genomic resource development of peas. It also covers the inheritance of genes controlling various biotic stress responses, genes that control pathogenesis in disease-causing organisms, the mapping of genes/QTLs, as well as transcriptomic and proteomic advancements. By combining conventional and modern omics-enabled breeding strategies, genetic gains can be significantly enhanced.

This poster was presented at the World Soybean Research Conference in Vienna, 18-23 June 2023, WSRC11. The Legume Hub is a platform dedicated to sharing knowledge and successful practices across value chains, from plant breeding, on farm activities, through to processing and consumption. It is a multi lingual publishing platform featuring articles, videos, images and blogs. Currently, the Legume Hub is available in English, German, Romanian, Russian and Serbian, Ukrainian will be available soon. Each article is attributed to its authors and organisations. All articles published through the Legume Hub are independently peer reviewed and each is citable as a scientific or technical publication.