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      Soybean flowering in the north: Combination of Chinese and European genetics could support better adaptation of soybean to northern latitudes

      Soybean is a short-day plant. Longer days and shorter nights such as in Central and Northern Europe are delaying soybean flowering and subsequently maturity. Genes controlling the time to flowering (E-genes) are essential for adaptation to a certain latitude. They are the base of classifying soybean cultivars into maturity groups. A total of 140 Chinese and ...

      Swiss agriculture can become more sustainable and self-sufficient by shifting from forage to grain legume production

      Switzerland’s livestock production causes high environmental costs and depends strongly on feed imports. While plant-based protein demand increases, the local grain legume production is negligible ( ~ 9000 hectares). Here, we investigated the potential of sustainable legume protein production based on an expert survey followed by a quantitative analysis base...

      Alkaloid analysis in lupins

      Prerequisite for food production
      Lupins are an interesting arable crop for cultivation. They provide a source of vegetable protein, can bind nitrogen in the soil as a legume, and have commercialisation potential thanks to their wide range of uses. However, lupins contain alkaloids, plant defence substances that can be toxic to humans and animals above a certain dose. The alkaloid content ca...

      Genetic diversity in narrow-leafed lupin breeding after the domestication bottleneck

      Narrow-leafed lupins (Lupinus angustifolius L.) were fully domesticated as a valuable grain legume crop in Australia during the mid-twentieth century. Pedigree records are available for 31 released varieties and 93 common ancestors from 1967 to 2016, which provides a rare opportunity to study genetic diversity and population inbreeding in a crop following a ...

      Multivariate genomic analysis and optimal contribution selection predicts high genetic gains in cooking time, iron, zinc and grain yield in common beans in East Africa

      Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is important in African diets for protein, iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn), but traditional varieties have long cooking time (CKT) which increases the time, energy and health costs of cooking. Genomic selection (GS) was used to predict genomic estimated breeding values (GEBV) for grain yield (GY), CKT, Fe and Zn in an African bean...

      In vivo characterisation of field pea stem wall thickness using optical coherence tomography

      Background: Modern field pea breeding faces a significant challenge in selecting lines with strong stems that resist lodging. Traditional methods of assessing stem strength involve destructive mechanical tests on mature stems after natural senescence, such as measuring stem flexion, stem buckling or the thickness of dry stems when compressed, but these mea...

      Accuracy of selection in early generations of field pea breeding increases by exploiting the information contained in correlated traits

      Accuracy of predicted breeding values (PBV) for low heritability traits may be increased in early generations by exploiting the information available in correlated traits. We compared the accuracy of PBV for 10 correlated traits with low to medium narrow-sense heritability (h^2) in a genetically diverse field pea (Pisum sativum L.) population after univariat...

      Grain legume production in Europe for food, feed and meat-substitution

      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 Eu...

      Breeding for Biotic Stress Resistance in Pea

      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 technique...

      The European Legume Hub Community

      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, ...

      Determination of isoflavones contents in soybean cotyledons, with near-infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics

      Owing to their estrogenic properties, isoflavones from soybean seeds are of great interest for human health. However, secondary effects are ambiguous and concerns among French consumers rise because of their unwanted exposure. The cotyledon and embryo axis have independent regulation of isoflavone accumulation and composition. Cotyledons are processed separa...

      Explaining environmental influence on isoflavone accumulation in soybean cotyledons and embryo axis

      Isoflavones first accumulate in the embryo axis. Once a plateau is reached, isoflavones begin to accumulate in the cotyledons, where they are found in lower concentrations, but in greater quantities. This shift is associated with a difference in composition, with mainly conjugated forms of Daidzein and Glycitein in the embryo axis, and only conjugated forms ...

      Argentina’s soybean meal: A threat or an opportunity in the sight?

      United States is steeply increasing its oilseed crushing capacity for its growing soybean oil needs, with an installed capacity expected to increase by 28% over the 2022-2026 period. Projected with consumption trends, which aspire to grow but to a lesser extent, United States could increase its exportable supply of soybean meal by close to 50% in the next fi...

      Functional properties of mildly fractionated soy protein as influenced by the processing pH

      In this study an alternative mild fractionation process for the extraction of soy protein is investigated; aqueous fractionation, in which oil extraction and intensive washing steps are omitted. Moreover, a pH adjustment is proposed instead of the conventional neutralization step. The mildly fractionated soy protein fractions (SPFs) showed higher protein and...

      Effect of calcium enrichment on the composition, conformation, and functional properties of soy protein

      Plant-based diets with sufficient calcium (Ca) supplements are needed to protect the body from Ca deficiencies. The Ca enrichment of protein ingredients during fractionation can provide a new route to increase the Ca content in plant-based products. We, therefore, investigated if the partial replacement of NaOH by Ca(OH)2 during the neutralization step of th...

      Do we need to breed for regional adaptation in soybean?

      In this study, we employed 50 soybean genotypes to perform a multi-location trial at seven locations across Germany in 2021. Two environmental target regions were determined following the latitude of the locations.

      Transition to legume‑supported farming in Europe through redesigning cropping systems

      Legume-supported cropping systems affect environmental, production, and economic impacts. In Europe, legume production is still marginal with grain legumes covering less than 3% of arable land. A transition towards legume-supported systems could contribute to a higher level of protein self-sufficiency and lower environmental impacts of agriculture. Suitable ...

      High-throughput screening of soybean di-nitrogen fixation and seed nitrogen content using spectral sensing

      Biological nitrogen fixation mediated through symbiosis with rhizobial bacteria is a unique feature of legume crops. Under organic farming conditions, it is the main source of nitrogen in crop rotations. Therefore, nitrogen fixation of grain legumes has a substantial impact on crop performance, harvest product quality, and nitrogen balance of crop rotations....

      Future area expansion outweighs increasing drought risk for soybean in Europe

      The European Union is highly dependent on soybean imports from overseas to meet its protein demands. Individual Member States have been quick to declare self-sufficiency targets for plant-based proteins, but detailed strategies are still lacking. Rising global temperatures have painted an image of a bright future for soybean production in Europe, but emergin...

      Genetic diversity in early maturity Chinese and European elite soybeans: A comparative analysis

      China is the motherland of soybean and the rich center of genetic diversity represented by numerous soybean landraces and other genetic resources. During the last 100 years, world-wide dissemination of Asian soybean introductions has laid the foundation of modern soybean production. As selection for regional adaptation might narrow the genetic base in modern...

      Soybean resilience to drought is supported by partial recovery of photosynthetic traits

      Climate change affects precipitation dynamics and the variability of drought frequency, intensity, timing, and duration. This represents a high risk in spring-sown grain legumes such as soybean. Yet, under European conditions, no evidence supports the potential recovery and resilience of drought-tolerant soybean cultivars after episodic drought, at different...

      Identification and Characterization of Novel Sources of Resistance to Rust Caused by Uromyces pisi in Pisum spp.

      Pea rust is a major disease worldwide caused by Uromyces pisi in temperate climates. Only moderate levels of partial resistance against U. pisi have been identified so far in pea, urging for enlarging the levels of resistance available for breeding. Herein, we describe the responses to U. pisi of 320 Pisum spp. accessions, including cultivated pea and wild r...

      Cookbook Legumes

      The Cookbook Legumes contains recipes with beans, lentils, chickpeas and other delicious legumes. It was created in the course of the Legumes Translated project.

      An innovative approach for the assessment of Bulgarian soybean cultivars

      The evaluation of climate plasticity and content of free amino acids, sugars and fatty acids in Bulgarian soybean cultivars were used as an innovative approach. The field performance, expression and metabolomic profiles of leaves, green seeds and mature seeds of plants grown from low temperature pre-treated and not-treated seeds were assessed by real-time qu...

      How to delink the UK’s soybean imports and livestock supply chains from deforestation in the Amazon

      About 57 percent of the soybeans imported by the UK for animal feed comes from Brazil. However, Brazilian soybean production is one of the drivers of the Amazon's deforestation, which has increased significantly sincte 2019. Cecar Revoredo-Giha and Montserrat Costa-Font discuss the options for the UK to make its livestock production sustainable.

      Testing soil for legume fatigue

      Among legume crops, forage peas and field beans show the most symptoms of legume fatigue. This is due to infestation with Didymella, Fusarium, Aphanomyces and other root rot pathogens as a result of over-cultivation of peas or other legumes such as lupines, field beans, vetches, red clover or lucerne. A heavy infestation may lead to a total loss of the peas ...

      Winter field peas as green manure before nitrogen-demanding crops

      On arable farms without livestock, nitrogen insufficiency can occur when cultivating nutrient-demanding crops like maize. This can lead to yield losses and weed infestation. Use a green manure of winter field peas before growing crops that have a high nitrogen demand in the rotation.

      Utilising the pre-crop effect of grain legumes

      The pre-crop effect of legumes is the positive effect a legume crop has on the performance of the following crop. This effect on the following crop, usually a cereal, is often presented as a reason to grow legumes. Full use of this pre-crop effect requires a good understanding of its size and its causes. Factors affecting this include the site conditions, cr...

      Intercropping legumes with rapeseed to reduce nitrogen and pesticide use in a 10-year diversified cropping system in Champagne, France

      In Champagne, cropping systems are dominated by a 4-year rotation including 5 crops (wheat - spring barley - beetroot – rapeseed – wheat). It requires relatively high levels of mineral nitrogen (N) inputs and pesticides to control weeds (knotweed, lamb's quarters, bedstraw and vulpine), some of which are becoming herbicide-resistant. Rapeseed is well-suited ...

      Intercropping legumes with rapeseed to reduce nitrogen inputs and pesticide use and improve profitability

      9-year diversified cropping system in Berry, France
      Rotations in the Berry region are dominated by a 3-year cropping system (rapeseed – wheat - barley) which requires relatively high levels of nitrogen (N) inputs and pesticides, especially herbicides to control weeds such as bedstraw, vulpine, etc., some of which are becoming resistant. 10-year projections of this system show that weed pressure could raise th...

      Diversification of cereal-based rotations with soybean as a second crop

      Cereal crop rotation in Hungary is usually very simple, given that the economic return of new crops in the rotation is not guaranteed. Soybean could provide a good income for organic farmers, whilst improving the diversity of the arable crop rotation and providing additional benefits. Farmers can use super early soybean varieties to produce soybean as a seco...

      Increasing feed production using legume and cereal mixtures as a second crop

      More frequent droughts in summer lead to unreliable forage production for farmers. In addition, farmers highly depend on imported soybean for milk production. Forage production, based on silage maize, can be improved by introducing a mixture of legumes and cereals (oat and vetches) prior to sowing silage maize, creating another source of silage earlier in th...

      Production constraints and opportunities: A Delphi study within the Legume Translated consortium

      What do experts really think? Most of us have the experience of meeting people who have a deep practical understanding of a theme that is not revealed in scientific and research reporting. This tacit knowledge remains unrecorded and only available through informal interactions. The purpose of the work reported here was to obtain insight into the views and id...

      Growing faba bean and pea in the Nordic region

      Faba bean and pea are cool-season grain legumes that pose different growing challenges and opportunities. Both are grown in the boreal-nemoral region (55 to 70°N) where the snow cover and temperatures below zero can last between three and six months. This article describes the main differences and similarities between them with regard to choosing the optimal...

      Continental and global effects

      The overall goal of Legumes Translated is to support the diversification of European cropping systems through linking research- and practice-based knowledge relevant to the production and use of legumes. The diversification of European cropping to grow more grain legumes raises the question of what are the wider global environmental and economic effects. The...

      An application of life-cycle assessment (LCA) to legume cropping

      The literature on environmental effects of cropping systems with and without legumes using LCA was analysed. The most comprehensive work was the results of the Legumes Futures project ("Legumes Futures Report 1.6 - Effects of legume cropping on farming and food systems"). The data gathered in the Legume Futures report was reanalysed and synthesised in order ...

      Effects of legume crops on biodiversity

      The expansion of the arable land area has displaced natural habitats and reduced the diversity of entire landscapes. Policymakers, scientists and land managers are developing strategies to mitigate the effects on biodiversity. Increasing the diversity of crop cover by introducing legumes into otherwise cereal dominated cropping systems is one option. This li...

      The role of legume production and use in European agri food systems

      Legumes can play a crucial role in making European agri-food systems more sustainable by improving the environmental performance as well as resource-efficiency and contributing to a higher level of protein self-sufficiency. Based on considerations of current legume production and consumption in Europe, this guide illustrates effects of integrating legume in ...

      Growing soybean in north-western Europe

      Experience from Ireland
      The cultivation of soybean has increased considerably in Europe in the last decade supported by the development of cultivars adapted to high latitude and shorter or cooler growing seasons. These cultivars are now grown in countries where climatic conditions were considered unsuitable for soybean production until very recently, such as in southern England, Li...

      Guide for farms to plan small scale soya bean processing equipment

      Soya beans are rich in proteins but also contain anti-nutritive substances, which require processing prior to feeding to pigs or poultry. Designing an adequate processing system for a farm is challenging because a range of factors need to be considered together: profitability, time efforts, needs of livestock, and consumers. Various technological design sol...

      Guide for assessing the protein quality in soya feed products

      Soya beans are an excellent source of protein but they also contain anti-nutritive components, which need to be deactivated by heat prior to feeding to swine or poultry. However, high temperatures can also damage key nutrients, reducing their digestibility. Trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA), protein dispersibility index (PDI) and urease activity are useful in...

      Recommendations for using soya-based feedstuffs in pig husbandry

      If soya beans are pressed and heat treated, the products can be used in organic feed rations for pigs. Critical points in ration planning must be considered to achieve a high meat quality.

      Unprocessed soya beans low in trypsin inhibitors in organic pig fattening diets

      Soya beans are rich in protein, but they contain antinutritional components such as trypsin inhibitors, which means that thermal processing is required before feeding to pigs and poultry. The successful use of unprocessed soya bean varieties with reduced content of trypsin inhibitors enables farmers to become more independent in their feed supply. Furthermor...

      Alternatives to soya bean for fattening broilers

      By 2022 it will become compulsory under EU Regulations (EC) no 889/2008 to provide all organic livestock with feed derived from 100% organic origins. Pig and poultryfarming currently relies heavily on imported soya so finding regional alternatives to soya is important. Camelina cake, rapeseed expeller and sunflower expeller can be locally produced so their p...

      Using near-infrared tools to monitor heat damage in soya bean products

      Soya beans are an excellent source of protein but they also contain anti-nutritive components, which need to be deactivated by heat prior to feeding to swine or poultry. Instruments for near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) equipped with specialised calibration models can reliably measure soya bean processing indicators such as trypsininhibitor activity (TIA) or ...

      Foraging of organic finishing pigs on protein-rich fodder

      The free-range area for finishing pigs is generally not optimized for its nutritional value through grazing. Introduce a diversity of potein-rich fodder, so that the finishing pigs forage as soon as weather conditions permit, over the longest possible period of the year. This is valuable for pig health and welfare and also for the nutritional quality of the ...

      Utilisation of waste heat from biogas plants for drying fine‐grained legumes

      The combustion of biogas to generate electricity generates a lot of waste heat, which is often not sufficiently used. Fine‐grained legumes, such as lucerne or clover, are important in the crop rotation on organic farms. At the same time, they are a good source of proteins, amino acids and roughage in feed. The approach here is to use the waste heat from biog...

      Recommendations for using soy-based feedstuffs for poultry production

      Benefits of soy include: Soya can be very well integrated into crop rotation and can cover up to 80 % of the N requirement by inoculating the seed with N-fixing nodule bacteria (Bradyrhizobium japonicum). Soya contains a lot of energy and protein. It is very tasty for the animals and easy to digest. The high content of linoleic acid has a positive effect on ...

      Sprouted wheat and vetch seeds as a green feed for poultry

      There is little data available for feed value of sprouts as animal feed. The addition of sprouted seeds to the ration could improve utilisation of available feedstuffs. Sprouting triggers the breakdown of antinutritional factors in pulses increasing protein in the diet and provides the benefits of a green feed.

      Actor group’s knowledge and insights into constraints and opportunities

      This report provides an overview of the knowledge management concepts in Legumes Translated and provides a compendium of assessments of the knowledge resources that the actor groups represented in the project have. Legumes Translated supports innovation in all major grain legume-supported cropping systems and related agricultural activities by linking sourc...

      Sclerotina stem rot in soybean

      More than 100 soybean pathogens have been described worldwide, and about 35 of these are considered capable of causing significant economic damage on soybean. Fungi are the most numerous and harmful, followed by bacteria and viruses. White mould (or sclerotina stem rot) caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is one of the most potentially damaging disease...

      Heat treatment and dehulling effects on feed value of faba beans

      Beans are commonly grown in rotation as a fertility-building cash crop, but they contain antinutritional factors, which limit their inclusion in monogastric rations. Processing the beans to remove antinutritional factors could increase the use and value of a product which is readily available in organic farming. Toasting and dehulling beans reduce the lev...

      Why farmers grow lupin

      Insights from a survey of German farmers
      Lupin is well adapted to a wide range of environmental conditions and produces high yields of protein. Germany is a historically important growing area for lupin but the area and production has fluctuated greatly in recent years. Insights into farmers’ perceptions and strategies reveals potential drivers for changes in lupin production. Results from a unique...

      Forage legumes for a cool climate

      This article considers the yield and quality of a range of alternative legume-based forages grown under cool wet temperate climate conditions in Scotland. Changing consumer expectations of farming is providing opportunities for more local and sustainable protein sourcing for livestock feed, especially in the dairy industry. We have demonstrated that crimso...

      The bean seed beetle in faba bean

      Bruchus rufimanus (Boheman), commonly referred to as the bruchid beetle or bean seed beetle, is an economically important pest of faba bean throughout Europe, Asia, North America and Africa. Its principal hosts are spring- and autumn-sown faba bean, (Vicia faba var. minor) although, more recently, high levels of infestation have been recorded i...

      Red clover silage

      Feeding value of red clover silage for cattle
      The nitrogen-fixing capability of red clover means that it can produce high yields of high-protein forage without nitrogen fertiliser. The feeding value of red clover silage depends on its combined effects on feed intake and diet digestibility. Traditional feed evaluation assessments indicate that red clover has some disadvantages due to its lower digestibil...

      There is a grain legume for every field

      Growing grain legume crops in northern Europe
      Almost every arable farm can grow a grain legume, even in northern Europe. This article deals with the question “are my fields suitable for farming grain legumes”. The answer in most cases is “yes”, and this article shows that there are several aspects to consider related to soil texture, pH levels and water availability when selecting the right legume for a...

      Moldovan soybean varieties testing in the condition of North Bulgaria

      Eight soybean varieties from Moldovan selection were traced in terms of productivity and its determining components in a three-year field trial. They have been compared with the Bulgarian standard variety Avigeya. The experiment was conducted in the period 2019-2021 in the condition of North Central Bulgaria at the field of Experimental station of soybean an...

      Dehulled grain legumes for food

      Split pea and red lentil are familiar examples of dehulled grain legumes. They cook faster, have slightly different flavour, and have a higher nutritional value than their whole-seed counterparts. The need for dehulling depends on the intended process and use, so both hulled and dehulled have their place in the market. For food uses, culinary quality is the ...

      Effect of soybean cropping on floral diversity

      Agriculture faces a serious challenge as species diversity in agricultural landscapes declines. Grain legumes are thought to contribute to farmland biodiversity. In a survey of the international literature we established that, with the exception of soybean, there is little information on the impact of grain legumes on floral diversity of agroecosystems. Acco...

      Cultivar selection for spring faba bean

      Faba bean grows particularly on heavier soils that hold and supply water to the plant. If the site conditions are suitable, a careful choice of cultivar (variety) lays the foundation for successful faba bean cultivation. Although the number of cultivars available to growers is relatively small, several new cultivars with novel characteristics have come onto ...

      Effects of soybean cropping on arthropods

      The decline in the diversity and biomass of arthropods, insects in particular, in agricultural landscapes poses a major challenge to agriculture. There is little evidence about the effect of introducing grain legumes into cropping systems on this group of organisms. In a review of the international literature, we found that, except for soybean, there is almo...

      Maize and runner bean intercropping

      Silage maize is grown over a large area and is closely associated with cropping systems that lack diversity with relatively high impacts on soil quality and nature. Mixed or intercropping can reduce the risk of erosion, increase crop biodiversity, and improve nitrogen utilisation.

      Nutritional value of grain legumes

      Systems to evaluate protein feeds for ruminants use solubility measurements as proxies for protein degradation in the rumen. Soluble protein (nitrogen, N) is assumed to be rapidly degraded in the rumen and so likely to be used inefficiently. This article demonstrates that this assumption is not appropriate for pea, faba bean and lupin and has led to an under...

      Faba bean, grain pea, sweet lupin and soybean for feeding cattle

      Domestic grain legumes have almost disappeared from our livestock diets in recent years. Practical experience in handling them and knowledge of their feeding effects is also lost. In addition, the feeding practices and general livestock management conditions and resulting animal performance have changed. Farmers involved in livestock production have also cha...

      Agro-economic prospects for expanding soybean production beyond its current northerly limit in Europe

      Soybean is one of the five crops that dominate global agriculture, along with maize, wheat, cotton and rice. In Europe, soybean still plays a minor role and is cultivated mainly in the South and East. Very little is known about the potential for soybean in higher latitudes with relatively cool conditions. To investigate the agronomic potential and limitation...

      Faba bean, grain pea, sweet lupin and soybean for pig feeding

      Grain legumes have long been considered valuable crops for farmers. In addition to providing a break in cereal-based crop rotations, they make an important contribution to the regenerative nitrogen (N) supply in arable farming through their ability to fix N with the help of root nodule bacteria. Pea, faba bean, sweet lupin and also European-grown soybean hav...

      Feeding extruded soybean to pigs

      A case study in Bulgaria
      Imported defatted soybean meal is the most common supplemental protein source used for feeding pigs. It is available as a commodity world-wide. Most soybean meal used in Europe is imported from South America. Partially replacing imported soybean meal with extruded full-fat soybeans in pigs’ diet could be an attractive and financially beneficial alternative i...

      Maize intercropped with climbing beans

      The EU organic regulation sets the goal of 100% organic feeding. This requires the development of new cropping systems in order to produce animal feed rich in energy and protein. Intercropping of maize and runner beans is traditionally practiced for human consumption in the region of origin of maize. In Europe, intercropping of maize with climbing beans is r...

      Valuing faba bean and pea for feed

      A large proportion of Germany’s protein feed requirement is met using imported soya, especially for pig and poultry feed. Most of the soya is imported from the USA, Argentina and Brazil and is genetically modified. Grain legumes such as faba bean and grain pea, along with rapeseed meal, have the potential to at least partially replace soybean meal for feedin...

      Combinative breeding for large seeds in soybean

      Technological qualities of the seeds, including their mass, play an important role in the purposeful use of soybean for food production. The purpose of this study is to determine the potential of specific crosses and recombinant lines in the combinative breeding of high yielding large-seeded soybean varieties. During the period of 2018-2019 the F3 and F4 hyb...

      Edamame: Soybeans fresh from the garden

      For centuries, soy was used exclusively for direct human nutrition. Tofu, miso, tempeh, natto and many other traditional soy dishes form an elementary part of far-eastern cuisine. Another particularly healthy and tasty soy dish is edamame: green soy pods, freshly harvested and briefly cooked in salt water. Edamame is served as a snack in the pod with a co...

      Soybean growth stages and requirements

      First of all, during vegetative growth, the soybean plants form nodes and leaves for photosynthesis. During germination , the soil temperature must be at least 10°C with sufficient water availability. After the cotyledons and the first leaf are fully developed (BBCH 10, Fig. 3), the energy reserves in the grain and the photosynthesis of the cotyledons supply...

      Cold-pressed soybean for poultry

      A case study in Bulgaria
      This article describes the result of a case study of the use of cold-pressed soybean cake for feeding laying hens. Cold-pressed soybean cake is used by one of the three selected egg producers in Bulgaria. The inclusion of soybean cake up to 50% of the soybean protein in the feed of laying hens resulted in improved feeding performance. The soybean cake was pr...

      Soya, soya isoflavones and health effects

      Soya foods are very popular not only in Asia but now also in Europe and the USA – not least because of the trend towards vegan and vegetarian diets as well as for sustainability reasons to reduce meat consumption. Soya products are versatile in the kitchen and enrich a plant-based diet due to their high nutrient density and biological value of the protein. I...

      Field trials on N-fixing cover crops & green manures in Scotland

      Presentation given at the "Growing for a sustainable future: Quick fire updates, farmer case studies and panel discussion" online event as part of the SRUC/ AHDB Winter Roadshows in Scotland

      Water use and irrigation in soybean

      Water is the most common yield limiting factor for soybean production in Europe. The occurrence of dry and hot periods in central and eastern Europe has increased in recent years. Timely and efficient irrigation can increase and stabilise yields in areas where summer droughts are common. Efficient irrigation management needs to account for environmental an...

      Effectiveness of nitrogen fixation in rhizobia

      Biological nitrogen fixation in rhizobia occurs primarily in root or stem nodules and is induced by the bacteria present in legume plants. This symbiotic process has fascinated researchers for over a century, and the positive effects of legumes on soils and their food and feed value have been recognized for thousands of years. Symbiotic nitrogen fixation use...

      Irrigation of lupin

      An experiment in Greece
      White lupin (Lupinus albus) is a good source of protein for animal feed and stands out as an alternative to soybean in the local market. However, the cultivation of the crop has declined in Greece mostly due to farmers opting for more profitable crops with better yields. The warm and dry climate in Greece leads to a drought impacting on lupin cultivat...

      Disease control in faba bean

      Fungal diseases are important contributors to the relatively large yield fluctuations in faba bean cultivation in central and northern Europe. In particular, rust (caused by Uromyces viciae fabae) and chocolate spot disease (caused by Botrytis fabae) can cause significant yield reductions. Both diseases reduce the photosynthetically active crop...

      Lupins - cultivation and uses

      In Central Europe, three lupin species are grown for agricultural use as grain: yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus), white lupin (L. albus), and narrow-leaved lupin (L. angustifolius), known as blue lupin. As a native protein plant, lupins have been improved in recent years. A variety of programmes have been designed to make cultivation mor...

      Crop rotations with and without legumes: a review

      Legumes are indispensable for the supply of reactive nitrogen into organic farming systems due to their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen. This reactive nitrogen is used by all arable crops in the organic rotation and forms the foundation of the protein supply for livestock. In conventional farming, legumes offer the potential to diversify crop rotations, ...

      Thermal treatment of faba bean for flavour improvement

      There is more to the potential food use of faba bean than meets the eye. The functional ingredients produced from the bean itself, such as flour or protein isolate and concentrate, can be used to make pasta, crackers, flakes, mayonnaise and dairy or meat analogues. Nevertheless, the use of faba bean in the food industry remains low, especially compared to so...

      Legume quality requirements for fish feed

      The dependence on fish meal and oil obtained from wild fisheries raises serious risks to the development of aquaculture. Alternative raw materials are sought to minimise this threat. For years, agricultural products such as soya in a primary role and pea, faba bean or lupin in secondary role support this effort. Increasing thei...

      Risk management of downy mildew in soybean

      Downy mildew is caused by the plant pathogen Peronospora manshurica. Downy mildew is a common fungal disease of soybean, found worldwide. It is soil and seed-borne and infection may result in yield losses of 5 to up to 10% in severe cases. So far, in Central Europe the damage caused is observed to be low. This practice note provides information on ...

      Choosing soybean cultivars

      The choice of cultivar is one of the most important decisions made in growing soybean. Choosing a suitable variety creates the conditions for high and reliable grain yield with adequate quality. Attention to special quality characteristics can attract high prices in specialised markets. Other traits can help reduce production costs. European farmers can choo...

      Impact of microfluidization on colloidal properties of insoluble pea protein fractions

      Microfluidization is a technique commonly used to disrupt and homogenize dispersions such as oil-in-water emulsions or cellular suspensions. In this study, we investigated its ability to alter the physicochemical properties of plant-derived insoluble protein aggregates such as those found in pea protein extracts. Insoluble pea protein dispersions (5% w/w, pH...

      Nitrogen partitioning and isotopic fractionation in dairy cows consuming diets based on a range of contrasting forages

      Nine multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows (initially 97 d in milk), were used in a. 3 x 3 lattice square design experiment with 4-wk periods. All cows received 4 kg/d concentrates and dietary treatments were based on silages offered ad libitum: perennial ryegrass (PRO); timothy (TIM); tall fescue (TF); red clover (RC); red clover/corn silage mixture [40/60 on ...

      The environmental role of protein crops in the new common agricultural policy

      This study provides an overview of the development and environmental effects of protein crop production in Europe. Nine policy options for supporting protein crops are presented: six inside the CAP, and three outside. We recommend an integrated policy approach combining the inclusion of protein crops into greening measures, investment in research and constra...

      Legume Science and Practice 2 conference report

      This is the conference report of the second Legumes conference organised by the AAB ‘Cropping And The Environment (CATE)’ specialist group. Delegates from a broad spectrum of disciplines were brought together to explore the role of legumes in sustainable agriculture, with an emphasis on ecosystem service. Legumes have the potential to play a substantial ro...

      Effects of mixtures of red clover and maize silages on the partitioning of dietary nitrogen between milk and urine by dairy cows

      Eight multiparous lactating Holstein–Friesian cows were used to evaluate the partitioning of dietary nitrogen (N) from diets based on mixtures of red clover and maize silages in comparison with diets based on ryegrass silage. All cows received 4 kg/day of a standard dairy concentrate with one of four forage treatments in an incomplete changeover design with ...

      Reducing concentrate supplementation in dairy cow diets while maintaining milk production with pea-wheat intercrops

      In the first of 2 experiments, 40 dairy cows were used to evaluate the milk production potential and concentrate-sparing effect of feeding dairy cows a basal diet of pea-wheat intercrop silages instead of perennial rye-grass silage (GS). Dairy cows were offered GS or 2 intercrop silages prepared from wheat and either Magnus peas (MW, a tall-straw variety) or...

      Comparison of grass and legume silages for milk production. 1. Production responses with different levels of concentrate

      Silages prepared from pure stands of ryegrass, alfalfa, white clover, and red clover over two successive year were offered to lactating dairy cows in two feeding experiments. Proportional mixtures of all cuts prepared in a yr were used to ensure that the forage treatments were representative of the crop. Additional treatments involved mixtures of grass silag...

      Forage intake, meal patterns, and milk production of lactating dairy cows fed grass silage or pea-wheat bi-crop silages

      This study investigated the feed intake, milk production, and plasma nutrient status in dairy cows fed intercropped pea-wheat (bi-crop) silages comprised of contrasting ratios of pea to wheat. Spring peas (cv. Magnus) and wheat (cv. Axona) sown at either high (75:25) or low (25:75) pea inclusion rates were harvested after 13 (Cut 1) or 15 (Cut 2) wk. Eightee...

      Milk production from silage: comparison of grass, legume and maize silages and their mixtures

      The high rates of rumen fermentation, physical breakdown and passage rates from the rumen of legume silages lead to higher intakes than for grass silages of comparable digestibility. Although total tract digestibilities for legume silages and maize silages are often lower than for grass silages, milk yields are usually higher. A further benefit of legumes an...

      Phosphorus fertilisation of faba bean

      Approaches on low, medium and high P-soils
      Experiments in Ireland have shown that phosphorus (P) supply from the soil is important for high yielding faba bean crops. These observations are supported by studies showing that crops that fix nitrogen (biological nitrogen fixation, BNF) are particularly sensitive to P deficiencies. Phosphorus deficiency reduces nodule (which fixes n...

      Feeding lucerne to dairy cows

      Lucerne is a protein-rich forage legume
      This article describes feeding lucerne. Lucerne is a protein-rich perennial forage legume that fits well into arable cropping systems. Optimising the use of lucerne on dairy farms involves balancing agronomic, nutritional and economic considerations.

      Drill-seeding of soybean

      Farmers are very familiar with the conventional seed drill for sowing cereals. This article outlines how this standard farm equipment can be also successfully used in soybean production.

      Winter pea in south-east Europe

      Winter pea (Pisum sativum ssp. arvense L.) is widely grown in Bulgaria. Bulgarian scientists and farmers have accumulated cultivars and knowledge for both forms of field peas, winter and spring pea (Pisum sativum ssp. sativum L.). There is renewed interest in pea as farmers and local producers aim to apply circular economy in agri...

      Feeding faba bean to poultry in practice

      Faba bean (Vicia faba L.), also called field bean, is rich in protein and energy. In particular, faba bean complements cereal well in the feed ration due to the high content of lysine. Faba bean can replace or supplement soya and can be used without further treatment. The crop can be sold to compound feed producers. But a better profit ma...

      Harvesting soybean

      High soybean yields and quality require the harmony of all production factors. Timely and efficient soybean harvest is one of the key challenges. Inappropriate harvesting can lead to harvest losses of up to 30%. The main factors that impact harvest losses are pre-harvest activities (seedbed preparation, crop canopy), harvest...

      Harvesting and storing lucerne

      Due to lucerne’s high protein content and the structure of its leaves, attention to detail at harvest is required for best results. This article sets out how yield and nutritional losses are minimised when lucerne is harvested and ensiled for forage.

      Mites in soybean production

      Pests are generally not a problem in European soybean crops. Spider mites account for a large proportion of what pest damage there is. The risk of damage is high during dry and hot conditions in summer. Several mite species can damage soybean plants, but two are more harmful than others: the spider mite (Tetranychus atlanticus) and the two-spotted sp...

      Feeding pea to poultry

      Pea is rich in protein and energy. It complements cereals perfectly for feeding poultry due to the high lysine content. White-flowering, lighthulled pea can be included up to 30% in poultry feed. Growers of field pea can sell their crops to compound feed producers. However, trading pea is not always straightforward and on-farm or local use generally increas...

      Feeding quality of faba bean for poultry

      This practice note provides an overview of the components and feed value of faba bean. Faba bean (Vicia faba L.), also called field bean, is rich in protein and energy. The high content of lysine means faba bean complements cereals in feed. Faba bean can replace or supplement soy. The feed value of faba bean for poultry is determined by the metabolisa...

      Flexible cutterbars

      Technology and market overview
      This Taifun Soy Info gives an overview over flexible cutterbars - flexible cutting technology has been tried and tested for years and is fully developed. There is no doubt that the investment pays off quickly for medium and large soybean areas. This is particularly true in organic farming, where the soy price is up to three times higher than for conventional...

      Bugs in soybeans

      In this Taifun Soy Info, Taifun Tofu reports about their invesigations on bug species, to what extent yield relevant damage is to be expected and how insects are dealt with in the large growing regions. At present, despite regional significant infestation, bugs do not cause serious damage in soybeans in Germany. Studies on the actual damage caused are m...

      Intercropping of grain pea with cereals

      Pea (Pisum sativum L.) is a valuable crop species containing around 20% crude protein in the seed. Cultivated as a pure crop, pea is prone to lodging and susceptible to biotic and abiotic stress. This is especially the case for the taller cultivars often used for forage. This leads to diminished crop performance and inf...