In 1971, Dr. Quentin Jones, now of the National Hawaii, where an international panel convened to Program Staff, SEA, USDA, suggested that the discuss and assemble information on underexploit Plant Taxonomy Laboratory devise a format for ed tropical legumes. Conversations at that meeting concise write-ups on 1,000 economic plants (Duke and subsequent correspondence with the partici and Terrell, 1974; Duke et al. , 1975). Dr. C. F. pants also yielded new information on some of the Reed was contracted to search the literature on tropical legumes. Finally in 1978, 100 copies of the writeups these economic plants, which included 146 species of legumes. From 1971 through 1974, Dr. Reed were delivered to the International Legume Con prepared rough drafts of write-ups on the 1,000 ference at Kew, July 24th-August 4, and all were species. It was my responsibility to establish the given to potential cooperators before my lecture on format and monitor the write-ups, to ensure that the manual (July 31st). New information presented they would answer many questions on legumes in lectures at that conference and personal com directed to the USDA by our taxpaying public. munications behind the scenes have also been used Since then, a computerized system alerts me to to update and embellish the write-ups so that they new publications on legumes. I have ordered for are more than a bibliographic echo. our files copies of the more promising documents.

Legumes have high potential for improving the nutritional quality of foods, but limited data on their bioactive compounds exists. Results of clinical and epidemiological studies suggest that natural antioxidants can protect us against oxidative stress that is closely associated with cancer and cardiovascular disease. Legumes are a valuable source of bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds, peptides and non-nutritional factors. They are rich in several important micronutrients, including potassium, magnesium, folate, iron, and zinc, and are an important source of protein in vegetarian diets. They are among the only plant foods that provide significant amounts of the amino acid, lysine. Commonly consumed legumes are also rich in total and soluble fibre as well as in resistant starch. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the antioxidant activity and health aspects of legumes. The international spread of contributors will describe the key factors that influence consumer acceptance of legumes in the diet, as well as the known functional properties of legumes and legume based food products. It will serve as an excellent and up-to-date reference for food scientists, food chemists, researchers in human nutrition, dietetics and the chemistry of natural compounds.

Based on contributions from members of the Legumes Future research consortium and complemented by articles from other research teams, this book provides a comprehensive overview of knowledge relevant to developing legume-supported cropping systems in Europe. It reflects the growing interest in using legumes to improve cropping and the current debate over the imbalance in European systems where the low use of legumes has caused concern in the agricultural policy community. This book supports informed debate and decision-making that addresses the associated challenges. Legumes in Cropping Systems presents current knowledge on this subject across 15 coordinated chapters. Each chapter addresses a specific aspect of legume cropping and provides insight into the relevant literature to help support understanding and explore the underlying processes that influence cropping system development. This book includes coverage of: · the role of legumes in cropping systems; · the role of legumes in European protein supplies; · environmental effects of grain and forage legumes; · current status of the major grain and forage legume crops; · economic effects; and · policy development. Written by an international team of expert authors and presented in full-colour throughout, this book is an invaluable resource for researchers in agronomy and crop sciences, agricultural professionals, policy makers, and students.

Legumes have high potential for improving the nutritional quality of foods, but limited data on their bioactive compounds exists. Results of clinical and epidemiological studies suggest that natural antioxidants can protect us against oxidative stress that is closely associated with cancer and cardiovascular disease. Legumes are a valuable source of bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds, peptides and non-nutritional factors. They are rich in several important micronutrients, including potassium, magnesium, folate, iron, and zinc, and are an important source of protein in vegetarian diets. They are among the only plant foods that provide significant amounts of the amino acid, lysine. Commonly consumed legumes are also rich in total and soluble fibre as well as in resistant starch. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the antioxidant activity and health aspects of legumes. The international spread of contributors will describe the key factors that influence consumer acceptance of legumes in the diet, as well as the known functional properties of legumes and legume based food products. It will serve as an excellent and up-to-date reference for food scientists, food chemists, researchers in human nutrition, dietetics and the chemistry of natural compounds.

​​​This book is devoted to grain legumes and include eight chapters devoted to the breeding of specific grain legume crops and five general chapters dealing with important topics which are common to most of the species in focus. Soybean is not included in the book as it is commonly considered an oil crop more than a grain legume and is included in the Oil Crops Volume of the Handbook of Plant Breeding.​Legume species belong to the Fabaceae family and are characterized by their fruit, usually called pod. Several species of this family were domesticated by humans, such as soybean, common bean, faba bean, pea, chickpea, lentil, peanut, or cowpea. Some of these species are of great relevance as human and animal food. Food legumes are consumed either by their immature pod or their dry seeds, which have a high protein content. Globally, grain legumes are the most relevant source of plant protein, especially in many countries of Africa and Latin America, but there are some constraints in their production, such as a poor adaptation, pest and diseases and unstable yield. Current research trends in Legumes are focused on new methodologies involving genetic and omic studies, as well as new approaches to the genetic improvement of these species, including the relationships with their symbiotic rhizobia.

Grain legumes are a main source of nitrogen-rich edible seeds and constitute a major source of dietary protein in the diets of human population especially for vegetarian diet. Legumes comprise the third largest family of flowering plants and provide important sources of food, fodder, oil, and fiber products. This book focuses on grain legumes production challenges, progress, and prospects. The book comprises a vast array of topics including diversity, biofortification, importance and antioxidant properties of pulse proteins, etc. This volume will serve as an excellent resource for students, researchers, and scientists interested and working in the area of sustainable crop production.