Grain legumes are characterised by their nutritional value, an ability to grow rapidly and improve soil health by fixing nitrogen. This makes them a key rotation crop in promoting food security amongst smallholders in particular. However, yields are constrained by factors such as pests and diseases as well as vulnerability to poor soils, drought and other effects of climate change.
This collection reviews the wealth of research addressing these challenges. Volume 1 focusses on breeding and cultivation. Part 1 summarises advances in understanding crop physiology and genetic diversity, and how this understanding has informed the development of new varieties. Part 2 reviews improvements in cultivation techniques to make the most of these new varieties, from variety selection and seed quality management, through pest and disease management to storage and quality assessment.
With its distinguished editorial team and international range of expert authors, this will be a standard reference for the grain legume research community and farmers of these important crops as well as government and other agencies responsible for agricultural development. It is accompanied by a companion volume which reviews particular grain legumes.
Part 1 Plant physiology and breeding 1.Advances in understanding grain legume physiology: stomatal behavior and response to abiotic stress: E. Troyo Diéguez and A. Nieto-Garibay, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, México; J.L. García-Hernández, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, México; P. Preciado-Rangel, Instituto Tecnológico de Torreón, México; F. A. Beltrán-Morales and F. H. Ruiz-Espinoza, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, México; and B. Murillo-Amador, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, México; 2.Advances in understanding grain legume physiology: understanding root architecture, nutrient uptake and response to abiotic stress: Yinglong Chen, The University of Western Australia, Australia and Northwest A&F University, China; Ivica Djalovic, Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Serbia; and Kadambot Siddique, The University of Western Australia, Australia; 3.Conserving and characterizing the genetic diversity of grain legumes: P. J. Bramel and H. D. Upadhyaya, Global Crop Diversity, Germany and International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), India; 4.Advanced breeding techniques for grain legumes in the genomics era: Juan M. Osorno and Phillip E. McClean, North Dakota State University, USA; and Timothy Close, University of California (Riverside), USA; 5.Genetic modification of grain legumes: Pooja Bhatnagar-Mathur and Kiran Kumar Sharma, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), India; 6.Developing drought- and heat-tolerant varieties of grain legumes: Shoba Sivasankar, Former Director, CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes, India; 7.Developing pest- and disease-resistant cultivars of grain legumes: Diego Rubiales, Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Spain; 8.Biofortification of grain legumes: Bodo Raatz, International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Colombia; Part 2 Cultivation 9.Variety selection and seed quality management in grain legume cultivation: Jean Claude Rubyogo, Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA), International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Tanzania; and Wilfred Odhiambo, Seed Systems Consultant, Kenya; 10.Grain legumes in integrated crop management systems: Chris Johansen and Kadambot H.M. Siddique, The University of Western Australia, Australia; 11.Grain legume–cereal intercropping systems: L. Bedoussac, ENSFEA, INRA AGIR, France; E-P. Journet, CNRS LIPM, INRA AGIR, France; H. Hauggaard-Nielsen, Roskilde University, Denmark; C. Naudin and G. Corre Hellou, Ecole Supérieure d’Agricultures, France; E. S. Jensen, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden; and E. Justes, INRA AGIR, France; 12.Soil and nutrient management in grain legume cultivation: S. Adjei-Nsiah , International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Ghana ; and B.D.K. Ahiabor, CSIR-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute, Ghana; 13.Diseases affecting grain legumes and their management: Keith Thomas, University of Sunderland, UK; 14.Insect pests and integrated pest management techniques in grain legume cultivation: Tolulope A. Agunbiade, Yale University, USA; Weilin Sun, Michigan State University, USA; Brad S. Coates, USDA-ARS, USA; Fouss é ni Traore, Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles, Burkina Faso; James A. Ojo, Kwara State University, Nigeria; Anne N. Lutomia, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA; Julia Bello-Bravo, Michigan State University, USA; Saber Miresmailli, Ecoation Innovative Solutions Inc., Canada; Joseph E. Huesing, USAID, USA; Michael Agyekum, Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics, Michigan State University, USA; Manuele Tamò, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Benin; and Barry R. Pittendrigh, Michigan State University, USA; 15.Weed management in grain legume cultivation: Don W. Morishita, University of Idaho, USA; 16.Grain legume storage in developing nations: L. L. Murdock and D. Baributsa, Purdue University, USA; 17.Drying, handling, storing and quality monitoring of pulses: C.B. Singh, University of South Australia, Australia; and D.S. Jayas, University of Manitoba, Canada; 18.Dietary health benefits, phytochemicals and anti-nutritional factors in grain legumes: Elizabeth Ryan, Colorado State University, USA; Indi Trehan, Kristie Smith and Mark Manary, Washington University, USA; 19.The nutritional potential of grain legumes: an economic perspective: Alan de Brauw, International Food Policy Research Institute, USA;
Dr Shoba Sivasankar was formerly the Director of both the CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes and the Research Program on Dryland Cereals. She was based at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in India. Dr David Bergvinson is Director-General of ICRISAT. Dr Pooran Gaur is Assistant Director of the Grain Legumes Research Program and Principal Scientist for chickpea breeding at ICRISAT. Dr Shiv Kumar Agrawal is Food Legumes Coordinator within the Biodiversity and Integrated Gene Management Program at the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) based in Morocco. Dr Steve Beebe is Leader of the Bean Program at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in Colombia. Dr Manuele Tamò is an insect ecologist at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Benin, with a particular focus on IPM in cereal-legume systems. He has worked with organisation such as AVRDC, ICRISAT and AfriceRice on IPM projects in many countries. Dr Shoba Sivasankar was formerly the Director of both the CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes and the Research Program on Dryland Cereals. She was based at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in India. Jean Claude Rubyogo holds a Masters degree in Crop Improvement from the University of Nottingham, UK and is a recognised seed system and technology transfer specialist. He has led several CIAT/PABRA research areas including participatory variety selection followed by targeted seed systems/reaching end users across 30 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, contributing significantly to the establishment and management of partnership between CIAT, NARS, seed entrepreneurs, farmers organizations and development partners. Dr Manuele Tamò is an insect ecologist at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Benin, with a particular focus on IPM in cereal-legume systems. He has worked with organisation such as AVRDC, ICRISAT and AfriceRice on IPM projects in many countries.
