The purpose of this paper is to characterise protein crops and to discuss the challenges and opportunities for the genetic improvement of legumes in a changing environment. It relates to the pre-farm gate part of protein crop value chains. We hope to address in particular further public (such as the European Union) and private investors (breeders) and breeders in crop genetic improvement.

The purpose of this report is to provide and overview of the Legume Generation innovation communities and to record some insights from their establishment. The overall purpose of the Legume Generation innovation communities is to make the connection between research activity and the breeding process. The idea can be traced back to the observation in the Department of Food and Rural Affairs (Defra, UK) of a serious disconnect between public investment in research that depends on plant breeding for its impact. In the UK then, that disconnect had been increased by the privatisation of the world-renowned Plant Breeding Institute in Cambridge in 1987. To address this, Defra diverted some of its funds for project-based research relevant to plant breeding towards the funding of species-specific partnerships between plant breeders and the relevant research base. These were called the Defra Genetic Improvement Networks. Despite relatively modest funding, these new structures had a far-reaching impact on the relationships between research and plant breeding. This experience provided the background to the innovation community concept in Legume Generation.

Soybean is the major crop for high-protein feed and food in Europe, however domestic production is low due to non-adapted varieties for drought events and time to maturity. Especially, drought stress during growing season can cause severe yield loss in soybean. The present work focused on phenotyping of European soybean varieties of maturity groups (MG) 000 – I, grown in Tulln (Austria) under rainfed conditions. Phenotyping traits were visually scored and screened by hyperspectral and thermal imaging (TIR) techniques. Varietal differences in time to flowering, time to maturity (ttm), plant height, stomatal density, yield, 16 hyperspectral reflectance indices and canopy temperature were examined. Furthermore, TIR method was evaluated for two daytimes (12:00h, 15:00h) and applied for simplified Crop Water Stress Index (siCWSI). Results showed significant differences in ttm between MG. Plant height showed a positive relationship with ttm, while yield reached an optimum at MG 00. Stomatal density of European soybean varieties was published first time: stomatal density was significantly different and ranges between 203.4 and 322.2 stomata/mm². Soybean of MG 000 showed significant correlation between yield and chlorophyll index, red edge inflection point, water indices WI-1, NWI-2 and NWI-4. Later maturing soybean sets had less relationship between indices and yield. Correlation between siCWSI and morphological traits were higher at 15:00h than at 12:00h. Plant phenotyping is a crucial process to improve genetic material due to drought tolerance and ttm and predicting yield. These findings will contribute to a better understanding of varietal differences in European soybean varieties.