Legume Science最新文献

Perennial grains, such as perennial Baki bean (Onobrychis spp.), offer promising solutions for sustainable agriculture, addressing issues like soil degradation and water quality associated with annual cropping systems. As a perennial pulse derived from sainfoin, Baki can improve soil health and offer a novel source of protein for human consumption. The physicochemical properties of flours produced from whole and split Baki beans, representing four sainfoin varieties, were evaluated to assess potential food applications. Results revealed that flour from whole Baki beans had 90% higher total dietary fiber than split Baki bean flour, while split Baki bean flour had 16% higher protein and 36% higher starch content than whole Baki bean flour. Functional properties such as water solubility index (WSI), emulsification activity (EA), and water absorption index (WAI) were also explored, highlighting the potential for Baki flours. Whole flour had a 17% higher WAI and a 37% higher EA than split flour, while split flour had a 14% lower WSI than whole flour. Overall, varietal differences did not exist, supporting the hypothesis that physicochemical traits have not been a target of sainfoin breeding and variety development thus far. It is concluded that Baki flours have potential as fortifying ingredients in food products, contributing to the sustainability and nutritional quality of future food systems.

In order to assess the stability of 16 lentil genotypes, experiments were carried out across multiple locations (Lorestan, Gachsaran, and Ilam) over two growing seasons (2021–2023), with Mogan evaluated in one season (2021–2022). The results revealed that environment, genotypes, and their interaction significantly influenced multiple traits, including 100-seed weight, plant height, days to flowering, seed yield formation rate, rainwater productivity, and seed yield. Using nominal biplot analysis, Genotypes G1, G2, G7, G15, and G16 were identified as stable in terms of seed yield. Furthermore, the biplot revealed that Genotypes G1, G2, G6, G7, G10, and G12 not only achieved the highest seed yields but also demonstrated remarkable stability in their yield capacity. By analyzing the various yield values and the mean weight stability index, it was determined that the weighted average of absolute scores of best linear unbiased predictions (WAASB) was highest for the stable and productive Genotypes G1, G2, G6, G7, G10, and G12. Additionally, Genotypes G3 and G4 emerged as the top performers according to the multitrait selection index (MTSI). The mean harmonic index and the relative performance of genotypic value for seed yield (HMRPGV) indicated that G2 and G7 are highly stable, productive, and adaptable. Overall, Genotypes G1, G3, G7, G10, and G14 displayed the highest seed yields and favorable agronomic characteristics in comparison to the other genotypes tested, suggesting their potential as new cultivars.

Soybean inoculation with Rhizobium strains is a sustainable and eco-friendly strategy to enhance productivity, particularly in countries where agriculture is hampered by some issues, including acidic soils and the high cost of chemical fertilizers. This study assessed the effect of inoculating three soybean varieties with two Rhizobium strains on nitrogen fixation, plant growth parameters, and productivity. Rhizobium S1 and Rhizobium S2 were used to inoculate seeds of three soybean varieties: TGX 1910 14F, Maksoy 4N, and TGX 1835 10E. The agronomic performance of inoculated soybean seeds was compared with noninoculated seeds over a 120-day field growth period. We found that the total nitrogen content of the var. TGX 1910 14F increased following inoculation with strains S1 (2.93 ± 0.06% vs. 2.53 ± 0.12%) and S2 (3.34 ± 0.05% vs. 2.53 ± 0.12%). A similar trend was observed for the root fresh weight of TGX 1910 14F. Maksoy 4N inoculated with strain S1 exhibited increases in plant height, above-ground biomass, and both fresh and dry root weights. The highest number of nodules was recorded in the inoculated seeds, with strain S2 being the most effective across all soybean varieties. Regarding yield, strain S1 was most efficient for TGX 1910 14F (169.66 ± 75.56 seeds per plant equivalent to 1.35 ± 0.60 tons/ha) and Maksoy 4N (106.0 ± 2.64 seeds per plant equivalent to 0.84 ± 0.02 tons/ha), while strain S2 was most effective for TGX 1835 10E, achieving the highest seeds per plant (174.33 ± 42.91 seeds per plant equivalent to 1.39 ± 0.34 tons/ha). This study presents a practical solution for enhancing the sustainability of farming systems, contributing to the achievement of sustainable development goals, and addressing climate change.

The widespread demand for cowpea in Ghana and West Africa warrants not only the development of climate-resilient varieties to enhance yield and ensure sustainable supply but also to remove limitations, such as the beany aroma, that restricts its use for food. In this study, various processing methods: sprouting (S), fermentation (F), and a combination of sprouting and fermentation (S + F), were assessed for reducing the beany aroma of cowpea. For this, an advanced climate-smart cowpea breeding line, UCC15-03, was used. Composite flour comprising wheat and the control or treated cowpea flours were prepared, used to make doughnuts, and the nutritional quality and consumer acceptability assessed. The flour from the S + F process showed the highest protein content (35.65 ± 0.25 g/100 g), followed by the S (32.26 ± 0.06 g/100 g), F (31.03 ± 0.03 g/100 g), and the control (24.91 ± 0.02 g/100 g). Processing significantly decreased the content of hexanal, which contributes to the beany flavor, from 44.41 ± 0.67 μg/100 g (control) to 24.36 ± 2.40 μg/100 g (S), 19.52 ± 0.18 μg/100 g (F), and 14.40 ± 0.66 μg/100 g (S + F). All the treatments decreased the oxalate, tannins, flavonoids, and polyphenolic contents as well as the crystallization and decomposition temperatures. Sensory evaluation revealed a higher preference for doughnuts made from the fermented cowpea, which had particulate, rough, and brown characteristics than the control, which showed beany, sweet, and gritty attributes. This demonstrates the potential for using fermentation to decrease the beany flavor, to enhance the utilization of cowpea in novel products.

Multiflowering (MF) is a condition in which a plant bears more than two flowers per peduncle (FPP) on a single flowering node. In legumes, MF is reported in peas, chickpeas, and lentils and is reportedly governed by one to two recessive gene(s) or polygenes (Fn, Fna, Hr, Dne, Lf, Sn, nep–1, nep–2, sfl, and cym). MF is a relatively stable trait, although influenced by G × E interaction, particularly by temperature (11°C–20°C). Among the various genes regulating MF, the sfl gene results in the formation of two FPP in chickpea and was fine-mapped at 5.1 cM on LG6. The fine mapping and functional characterization of all the known MF genes will help in the manipulation of the number of FPPs and also the total number of flowers per plant through MAS (marker-assisted selection) or genome editing. This review investigates the roles, pathways, and genomic locations of all the MF genes in various legumes and the possibility of realizing better yield.

This research examines the physical and microstructural properties of New Zealand faba beans (Vicia faba), with a focus on their influence on swelling, hydration, and cooking characteristics. Four native varieties (Early Long Pod, Evergreen, Coles Dwarf, and Janet) were studied. No statistically significant differences were found in the seed physical characteristics, including sphericity, equivalent diameter, thousand kernel weight, seed volume, and surface area, among the varieties. The faba bean seeds showed high levels of protein (24%–27%) and starch content (35%–39%), with Coles Dwarf exhibiting a significantly higher protein content. Cooking times varied among the varieties and were decreased by at least 30 min for all varieties when seeds were soaked before cooking. Evergreen seeds took the least time to cook, while those from Janet required the longest time, which was significantly higher than the other varieties, especially when soaked faba beans were used for cooking. These results were in accordance with the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results, which revealed significant differences in cotyledon cell wall thickness and surface ridge morphology. Despite a relatively high hydration capacity, Janet required the longest cooking time, suggesting that its thicker cotyledon cell walls and folded surface topography may limit thermal softening despite adequate water uptake. The rapid visco analyzer (RVA) results also showed that the Janet flour exhibited significantly higher peak viscosity, indicating strong water-holding and gelation potential during heating. The Coles Dwarf variety, which exhibited the highest protein content, displayed pronounced surface ridges but showed a significantly lower hydration index, highlighting how macronutrient composition and microstructure jointly influence water uptake and pasting behavior. These results highlight the varying suitability of each variety for different food applications, considering their distinct physico-chemical and cooking properties.

In recent times, conservation agriculture (CA) has emerged as a prominent sustainable production method, gaining significant traction among farmers. The objective of this research project was to assess the potential for enhancing the land, water, and energy productivity of four dryland chickpea genotypes through the implementation of three tillage systems over three cropping seasons (2016–2019) in the rainfed conditions of northwest of Iran. The mean values for grain yield (GY), land productivity (LP), rainwater productivity (RWP), and energy productivity (EP) were found to be greater in the third year of the zero-tillage (ZT) system in comparison to the minimum tillage (MT) and conventional tillage (CT) systems. In comparison to the CT system, both MT and ZT resulted in significantly reduced energy input values, with a reduction of 19.4% and 34.5%, respectively. The greatest energy-intensive inputs were diesel fuel (44%), seed (18%), and nitrogen fertilizer (17%), in that order. The findings also indicated that the type of tillage, crop variety and duration of tillage exert an influence on the carbon footprint (CF) and global warming potential (GWP). In this regard, the lowest CF of 0.123 kg CO₂ eq kg⁻¹ was observed in the Zarrin variety under the ZT system. The findings illustrate that the sustainable cultivation of chickpeas in cold, arid, and semi-arid regions necessitates the expansion of conservation tillage (ZT or MT) and the selection of appropriate crop varieties in dryland chickpea production. These practices enhance land, rainwater, and energy productivity; mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; and enhance carbon efficiency.

The high cost of dairy milk imports in many sub-Saharan African countries and growing consumer demand for health-promoting foods have fuelled interest in using plant-based milk for yoghurt production. This study examined the qualitative characteristics of yoghurts made from tigernut, soybean and cow milk blends, compared with 100% cow milk (skim milk) yoghurt as a control. Four distinct milk formulations were prepared using tigernut, soybean and cow milk in ratios of 80:20:10, 70:20:10, 60:20:20 and 50:30:20, respectively. These blends were then fermented with Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus to produce yoghurt from the combinations of tigernut, soybean and cow milk. Physicochemical properties, health-promoting potential, microbial analysis and sensory attributes were analysed over 14 days of refrigerated storage. Most parameters changed significantly over time, enhancing nutritional quality and health-promoting potential. Also, all the plant-based yoghurts showed superior health-promoting potential compared with the100% cow milk yoghurt. While 100% cow milk yoghurt had the highest overall acceptability, some formulations (80:20:10, 70:20:10 and 50:30:20) were well-accepted and even outperformed the control in certain sensory aspects. Given their cholesterol-free nature and antioxidant-rich bioactive compounds, tigernut and soybean milk can be viable dairy substitutes in yoghurt production.

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the most widely produced and consumed pulse crops globally. The global rise in the consumption of chickpea and its food products indicates the need to expand chickpea production in non-traditional growing regions. Awareness of chemical and pesticide use on human health extends this interest to organic chickpea production. The objective of this study was to measure the adaptability and nutritional quality of 18 chickpea cultivars for agronomic traits (days to maturity, DTM; canopy height, CH; and 100-seed weight: HSW) and nutritional quality (total starch, TS; protein, PC; total fats, TFA; and protein digestibility, PDg) in conventional and organic winter cropping systems in South Carolina, United States. Significant genotypic effects were observed for CH and PC; significant location effects were found for all traits except TFA. Mean values for DTM (137), CP (39 cm), HSW (25.6 g), TS (55 g/100 g), PC (21.5 g/100 g), TFA (5.0 g/100 g), and PDg (84.2%) were promising with respect to agronomic adaptation and nutritional quality. This study demonstrates the potential of chickpeas as a new pulse crop for winter cropping systems in southern areas with warmer temperatures and humidity. Further studies are needed to include these tested cultivars in pulse breeding programs to develop winter-ready cultivars for southern cropping systems.

Encapsulation involves forming a thin layer around the core material to separate it from the surrounding environment physically. It is widely used in various industries to provide protection core materials, manipulate release properties, mask undesired sensory properties, immobilize compounds, and to construct a structure to hold the material. The type of wall materials and encapsulation techniques are the main parameters that dictate the success of the operation. Different physical, chemical, or physiochemical methods can be employed depending on the compound to be encapsulated. With their desirable techno-functional properties, legumes are great alternatives to the materials currently used in research and industry. Their high nutritional value, biocompatibility, low cost, and potential health benefits also support their use in encapsulation. Lentils are one of the popular sources of protein after soy and peas. When lentil proteins are used as the only encapsulation agent, modification methods could be employed to enhance its functional properties. Combining them with carbohydrates is another method to improve the characteristics of protein wall materials. This review discusses research on the utilization of lentils to encapsulate different valuable compounds such as probiotics, polyunsaturated fatty acids, phenolic compounds, vitamins, minerals, and coloring agents. The application of lentil flours without purification was also argued. The article highlights the sustainability aspect of employing lentils, considering their renewable nature and potential contribution to reducing environmental impact. Challenges and future prospects are discussed, facilitating further research and development in this area involving legume science and encapsulation technology.