Cultivation Of Legumes Research Articles

Just a little bit more legumes! Results of an online survey in Europe

A web survey was conducted in France, Germany, Poland, and the UK to examine how providing information about the benefits of legumes could influence purchase intent. In each country, 600 participants were recruited in September 2020. First, participants answered a series of questions about their dietary habits. Second, they were asked about their intention to purchase lentils, before and after they read an informational message about the nutritional or environmental benefits of lentils. The results show that receiving this information significantly affected purchase intent, even if the impact was relatively small. Indeed, after this revelation of information, about 10% of participants expressed a change of mind regarding their purchase intent. This effect was dependent on product type (i.e. dried lentils vs lentil pasta) and information type (i.e. nutritional vs environmental benefits). Across countries and products, information about the food’s environmental benefits had often a greater impact on purchase intent than did information about the food’s nutritional benefits. After reading the informational messages, 25-42% of all the participants said they planned to eat more legumes in the future. As consumers choices are weak drivers for developing legumes cultivation, other instruments focusing on farmers incentives such as subsidies could be selected.

Еvaluation the efficiency of chemical and biological preparations interaction for pre-seed treatment of soybean

The presented study is based on the need for joint use of chemical and biological products for the effective development of agriculture and cultivation of legumes in particular. The influence of inoculation and chemical pesticides on the processes of growth, development and formation of soybean seed yield has been studied, morphological features of soybean plants have been revealed; the influence of chemical pesticides and bacterial preparations on the development and productivity of soybeans, taking into account hydrothermal conditions, has been researched. The authors have analyzed peculiarities of Kofu soybean productivity formation, depending on inoculation with preparations based on specific nodule bacteria B. japonicum Rizolik Top with Premax protector, HighCot Super + HighCot Super Extender, Optimize and chemical pesticides Sistiva and Gaucho Plus in Polissya area of Chernihiv region. It has been experimentally proventhat the use of Rizolik Top inoculant with Premax protector and additional treatment with Sistiva and Gaucho Plus chemicals, even in the presence of a local population of nodule bacteria, provided an increase in yield, in the number of active nodules and plant height. The influence of lack of sufficient moisture and high air temperatures on the symbiosis of the root system of soybeans with nodule bacteria, which leads to a decrease in grain yield and quality has been determined. The influence of inoculants on increasing the productivity of symbiotic soybean-rhizobial systems under the action of adverse environmental conditions has been proved. The specificity of the soil-climatic zone, varietal characteristics of plants and the level of agriculture inherent in the economy confirm the importance of the research conducted for agroecology. It’s recommended to focus the prospects for further research on the use of higher doses of inoculants in seed treatment to avoidthe risk of reducing the effectiveness of microbial drugs due to the negative effects of chemical pesticides.

Наукові основи формування органічних агроекосистем у Лівобережному Лісостепу

Goal. To assess the agro-resource potential of the Left-Bank Forest-Steppe and to establish trends in the main parameters of the fertility of typical chornozem in the system of organic farming. Methods — general and special: long-term field — to determine quantitative indicators and analytical. Results. The results of 20 years of field research and features of functioning of organic agroecosystems are analyzed, the agroresource potential of the Eastern Forest-Steppe, tendencies of hydrothermal regime formation are assessed. Substantiation of crop rotations for farms of different specialization is carried out. The regularities of the influence of different hydrothermal conditions on the dynamics of soil properties are revealed, the balance researches of the peculiarities of the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium cycle are carried out. Mathematical relationships between crop yields and their predecessors, rainfall, air temperature, the amount of non-marketable part of the crop and the reserves of basic nutrients in it are searched. It is established that the introduction of legumes into organic agroecosystems contributes to the optimization of agrophysical indicators of the fertility of typical chornozem and the balance of nutrients in it, which creates favorable conditions for plant development. The productivity of crop rotations is determined. It was the largest in crop rotations with leguminous predecessors of winter wheat: soybeans, peas, lentils and vetch-oats mixtures, under the conditions of use of sugar beet for the third year of rotation. The yield of feed protein units in these variants was 3.78; 3.75; 3.72 and 3.71 t/ha. Under the conditions of placing buckwheat on the 3rd field of short-rotation crop rotations, their productivity was reduced by 1.4 times. Conclusions. The cultivation of legumes in organic agroecosystems contributes to the improvement of agrophysical indicators of the fertility of typical chornozem. It was crop rotations with these crops that provided the highest productivity. Elaboration of correlations between hydrothermal conditions and crop yields in crop rotations allows efficient use of natural potential in organic agroecosystems.

Effect of Pesticide and Humic Preparation on the Soil Structure during Pea and Chickpea Cultivation

The article presents the results of a 3-year experiment to study the soil structure with the combined use of insecticides and a humic preparation. Crops were peas (Pisum sativum) and chickpeas (Cicer arietinum). The experiment was carried out in 2019–2021 at the experimental fields of the Federal Rostov Agrarian Scientific Center, located in the Rostov region in the south of the European part of Russia (47°21′ N, 39°52′ E). Soil was Calcic Chernozem Loamic. The studies were carried out both without fertilization and with the use of mineral fertilizers (N40P40K40). Sowings of leguminous crops were treated with a mixture of insecticides and a humic preparation in the phase of bean formation. The humic preparation BIO-Don10 was obtained according to the authors’ technology by alkaline extraction from vermicompost—a product of manure processing by compost worms of the Eisenia foetida species. The preparation contains salts of humic acids and fulvic acids in the amount of 1.9 g/L; the concentration in the mixture with the insecticide was 0.002%. An increase in the structure and water resistance coefficients was observed. A decrease in the block fraction and an increase in the total number of agronomically valuable aggregates were substantiated. It was found that in the cultivation of legumes, the application of mineral fertilizers had a negative effect on the structure of the soil, while, when using pesticides, the structure was preserved better by the end of the growing season. The revealed patterns can be associated with the activity of microorganisms participating in the hydrolysis of organic compounds that stabilize soil aggregates.

Вплив технологічних заходів вирощування на розвиток кореневої системи та симбіотичну продуктивність еспарцету

An important factor in the feed industry intensification is the cultivation of perennial legumes, including sainfoin. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of mineral fertilizers and seed inoculation on the formation of the root system and the symbiotic productivity of different varieties of sainfoin grown on green fodder. Experimental studies were conducted during 2016-2018 on the research field of Forage Production, Land Reclamation and Meteorology Department, located at the NULES of Ukraine "Agronomic Research Station" on typical low-humus chernozem. According to the results of the research, it was established that on average in three years the biggest root mass - at the level of 52.7 t/ha was formed by sainfoin variety Amethyst Donetskyi with providing complete mineral fertilizer in the dose N45P60K90 and presowing seeds inoculation by Rhizotorphin. In plants of the same variant, the most developed symbiotic apparatus was also noted - in the flowering phase, the total number of tubers was 126 units/plant, and their weight was 3.444 g/plant. As a result of a strong root system of plants formation and a well-developed symbiotic apparatus, the amount of biologically fixed nitrogen under crops of sainfoin of variety Amethyst Donetskyi reached 143 kg/ha.

Biomass Quantity and Quality from Different Year-Round Cereal–Legume Cropping Systems as Forage or Fodder for Livestock

The quantity and quality of forage and fodder crops is the major drawback of the livestock sector in the country. There is a need to bridge the gap between the supply and demand of fodder through the adoption of specific sustainable fodder production strategies. The field experiments were conducted during kharif (rainy, June–October), rabi (post-rainy, October–February), and summer (March–May) seasons of 2018–19 and 2019–20 to identify a sustainable fodder cropping system module in randomized complete block design with fifteen fodder cropping systems in three replications. The main objective of this research was to identify the most productive cereal–legume cropping system, both in terms of quantity and quality of biomass, to reduce the gap between supply and demand of quality livestock feed around the year. Among cropping systems, Bajra–Napier hybrid intercropped with lucerne, cowpea, and sesbania recorded significantly higher green fodder (163.6, 155.2, and 144.0 t/ha/year, respectively) and dry matter yields (32.1, 30.8, and 31.3 t/ha/year, respectively). Similarly, the same perennial systems also recorded higher quality yield and ash content. However, higher crude protein content was noticed in monocrop legumes, with the highest in sesbania (22.32%), while higher ether extractable fat was found in monocrop sesbania (3.78%). The monocrop oats recorded higher non-fiber carbohydrates (36.90%) while a monocrop of pearl millet recorded higher total carbohydrates (80.75%), however they were on par with other monocrop cereal cropping systems. Cultivation of legumes as a monocrop, and their inclusion as an intercrop with cereals resulted in lower fiber fractions and improved crude protein in intercropping systems. Furthermore, this improved the dry matter intake and digestibility of fodder. With higher sustainable yield index values and land-use efficiency, perennial intercropping systems were also found to be sustainable. Thus, cultivation of the Bajra–Napier hybrid with either lucerne, cowpea, or sesbania as an intercrop will help livestock farmers to achieve higher productivity in terms of quantity and quality, and forms a viable option for overcoming livestock feed scarcity.

A Multifunctional Solution for Wicked Problems: Value-Chain Wide Facilitation of Legumes Cultivated at Bioregional Scales Is Necessary to Address the Climate-Biodiversity-Nutrition Nexus

Well-managed legume-based food systems are uniquely positioned to curtail the existential challenge posed by climate change through the significant contribution that legumes can make toward limiting Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. This potential is enabled by the specific functional attributes offered only by legumes, which deliver multiple co-benefits through improved ecosystem functions, including reduced farmland biodiversity loss, and better human-health and -nutrition provisioning. These three critical societal challenges are referred to collectively here as the “climate-biodiversity-nutrition nexus.” Despite the unparalleled potential of the provisions offered by legumes, this diverse crop group remains characterized as underutilized throughout Europe, and in many regions world-wide. This commentary highlights that integrated, diverse, legume-based, regenerative agricultural practices should be allied with more-concerted action on ex-farm gate factors at appropriate bioregional scales. Also, that this can be achieved whilst optimizing production, safeguarding food-security, and minimizing additional land-use requirements. To help avoid forfeiting the benefits of legume cultivation for system function, a specific and practical methodological and decision-aid framework is offered. This is based upon the identification and management of sustainable-development indicators for legume-based value chains, to help manage the key facilitative capacities and dependencies. Solving the wicked problems of the climate-biodiversity-nutrition nexus demands complex solutions and multiple benefits and this legume-focus must be allied with more-concerted policy action, including improved facilitation of the catalytic provisions provided by collaborative capacity builders—to ensure that the knowledge networks are established, that there is unhindered information flow, and that new transformative value-chain capacities and business models are established.

Soil organic matter content and chemical composition under two rotation management systems in a Mediterranean climate

The crop rotation system in organic farming is a determinant factor to accumulate and preserve soil organic matter (SOM), and in depth knowledge on its effects is still lacking. Tillage intensity in particular is crucial to maintain soil aggregates and protect SOM from degradation. The evolution of SOM was tested in two adjacent fields under two different rotation cropping systems (low-intensity tillage and high-intensity tillage), and the effect of a further cultivation of legume in both fields was evaluated using 13 carbon (C)-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and elemental analysis of samples isolated through combined aggregate size and density fractionation. The two adjacent fields had been managed using the following organic farming methods for 13 seasons since 1998: i) alfalfa-based, with nitrogen (N) enrichment and low-frequency tillage with alfalfa (Medicago sativa) (9 seasons), winter wheat (Triticum durum) (3 seasons), and broad bean (Vicia faba) (1 season) and ii) cereal-based, with N depletion and annual tillage with barley (Hordeum vulgare) (7 seasons), sunflower (Helianthus annuus) (2 seasons), broad bean (Vicia faba) (3 seasons), and bare fallow (1 season). Soil sampling was carried out at the end of the 13-year rotation (T0, November 2011) and after winter wheat and chickpea cultivation in both fields over two subsequent years (T1, July 2013). Bulk organic C was significantly higher in the alfalfa-based system than in the cereal-based system at both T0 and T1, with SOM occluded in soil aggregates and associated with mineral particles. In terms of the macroaggregates heavy fraction at T0, the alfalfa-based field contained twice the organic C of that in the cereal-based field, as well as three times the organic C in the occluded particulate organic matter (POM). The occluded POM (oPOM) had a lower aryl/O-alkyl C ratio in the alfalfa-based system than in the cereal-based system, suggesting that oPOM undergoes a lower degree of decomposition during low-intensity management. The aryl/O-alkyl C ratios of the macro- and microaggregate oPOM decreased from T0 to T1 in the cereal-based system, suggesting increased protection of these fractions by soil aggregates. Thus, including legumes in crop rotation appears to positively affect the accumulation of SOM associated with mineral particles and within soil aggregates.

Policy Interventions Promoting Sustainable Food- and Feed-Systems: A Delphi Study of Legume Production and Consumption

The food- and feed-value systems in the European Union are not protein self-sufficient. Despite the potential of legume-supported production systems to reduce the externalities caused by current cultivation practices (excessive use of N fertilizer) and improve the sustainability of the arable cropping systems and the quality of human diets, sufficient production of high-protein legume grains in Europe has not been achieved due to multiple barriers. Identifying the barriers to the production and consumption of legumes is the first step in realizing new pathways towards more sustainable food systems of which legumes are integral part. In this study, we engage stakeholders and decision-makers in a structured communication process, the Delphi method, to identify policy interventions leveraging barriers that hinder the production and consumption of legumes in the EU. This study is one of a kind and uses a systematic method to reach a common understanding of the policy incoherencies across sectors. Through this method we identify policy interventions that may promote the production of legumes and the creation of legume-based products in the EU. Policies that encourage reduced use of inorganic N fertilizer represent an important step toward a shift in the increased cultivation of legumes. Relatedly, investment in R&D, extension services, and knowledge transfer is necessary to support a smooth transition from the heavy use of synthetic N fertilizer in conventional agriculture. These policy interventions are discussed within current EU and national plant-protein strategies.

Perennial forage legume cultivation and their above-ground mass management methods for weed suppression in arable organic cropping systems

BackgroundIn organic crop farms, growing crop yields are limited by insufficient nitrogen supply to plants and crop weediness. In such farms, legume swards are proposed as a service crop to improve nitrogen cycling. However, a positive effect of nitrogen is not only on cereals but also on weeds. In crop rotation, legume swards can stimulate the competition of cereals using the above-ground mass of legume to control the spread of weeds.The effects of the following methods for weeds control were analyzed: (i) forage legumes (Trifolium pratense L. and T. repens) undersown in cereals, (ii) forage legumes (T. pratense L., Medicago sativa L.) and their mixture with festulolium (x Festuliolium) and their above-ground mass management methods, and (iii) plant-based fertilizers (red clover above-ground mass fermented and composted).ResultsOat with red clover undersown reduced weediness more than red clover monocrops, pea, and their mixture with oats. Incorporated undersown white clover mass increased spring barley competitiveness with weeds. When growing legume swards for a longer period of time (green fallow), red clover and their mixture with festulolium are the most suitable for this purpose. The lowest weed dry weight (average 34%, compared with the removal from the field) was obtained while using the mixed management. The cultivation of cereals after forage legumes and their mixtures with festulolium (as a preceding crop) increases its grain yield and competitive ability against weeds. Fermented red clover and fermented pea and spring wheat mixture mass, as a manure, did not increase weediness.ConclusionsIt was concluded that the effectiveness of the perennial forage legumes is determined by the uses of the above-ground mass: soil cover, mulching, application of green manure, and intensity of mass mineralization. Type of activity of forage legumes on weeds were competition for environmental resources, disruption/promotion of germination, destruction of above-ground mass, reduction of the amount of matured seeds, creation of a physical barrier (mulch), and increase of competitiveness of cereals. Growing forage legumes in pure crops usually leads to a loss of marketable production.Graphic abstract

Impact of nitrogen and green manure on yield and quality of sweet potato in sandy soil: A Brazilian case study

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of mineral N rates on the yield, morphological traits, quality, and mineral content of the storage roots of sweet potato grown after different green manure sources. Treatments included the application of N at four rates (0, 50, 100, and 200 kg ha−1) to sweet potato grown after the control (indigenous weeds) or the legumes showy crotalaria and velvet bean. PCA revealed that in the treatments with previous showy crotalaria cultivation, there was a low incidence of defects in the storage roots and the storage roots weighed more than they did in the control or in the velvet bean treatments. The current study also showed that legume cultivation only in the previous season was not enough to improve the yield and quality of sweet potato. Therefore, it is necessary to combine previous legume cultivation with the application of 100 or 200 kg N ha−1 in sweet potato to achieve higher levels of yield, quality, and mineral contents, such as Cu, Zn, K, Ca, and Mg, in storage roots. The current research has indicated that future studies should investigate whether the benefits of previous legume cultivation for sweet potato are restricted only to the current growing season.

Soil greenhouse gas fluxes from a humid tropical forest and differently managed urban parkland in Singapore

Studies of soil greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes (CO2, CH4 and N2O) from tropical soils are still scarce and the effects of urban green space management on soil GHG fluxes are poorly addressed. In order to establish reliable global GHG budgets, field measurements of soil GHG fluxes from different land uses and management practices in tropical regions are urgently needed. In this study, soil fluxes of CO2, CH4 and N2O were measured over a period of one year, from a forest and an urban parkland in Singapore. At the parkland site, two additional management practices were investigated, namely compost application to urban lawn and the replacement of lawn by legumes. The average CO2 efflux from the forest soil was 0.17 ± 0.01 g C m−2 h−1 and was 30% lower than that of the parkland soil. The forest soil was a CH4 sink (−36.03 ± 8.80 μg C m−2 h−1), while the parkland soil was a source of CH4 (43.79 ± 9.66 μg C m−2 h−1). Both soils were net emitters of N2O, with the forest soil releasing four times more N2O (23.23 ± 5.10 μg N m−2 h−1) than the parkland soil (6.47 ± 2.52 μg N m−2 h−1). During the entire observation period, compost application increased CO2eq by 30% compared with the untreated parkland soil. Shortly after compost addition, CO2 fluxes significantly increased and remained elevated until the end of the experiment. Soil CH4 emissions also increased, but the effect was small compared to CO2 (<1% CO2eq). Compost amendment caused an immediate short-term peak of N2O emissions. However, after the first day, which was characterized by a heavy rain event, the compost effect on N2O production was negligible. Compared to grass cultivation, legume planting resulted in a 20% reduction of CO2eq. This study shows that conserving mature secondary forests and the cultivation of herbaceous legumes on tropical urban soils, where open lawn spaces are not required, can reduce soil GHG emissions.

SCREENING OF SALT TOLERANT RHIZOBIA FROM GROUNDNUT IN CUDDALORE DISTRICT OF TAMIL NADU, INDIA

Salinity seriously constrains crop yield in irrigated agriculture throughout the world. Also, salinity is a serious threat to agriculture in arid and semi arid regions. Nearly 10 % of the world’s land surface can be classified as endangered by salinity. Salinity in the soil and irrigation water is an environmental problem and a major constraint for crop production. Currently, 20 % of the world’s cultivated land is affected by salinity, which results in the loss of 50 % of agricultural yield. At present, there are nearly 954 million hectares of saline soils on the earth’s surface. All these salt affected soils are distributed throughout the world. The salinity response of legumes in general varies greatly depending on factors like climatic conditions, soil properties, salt tolerance and the stages of crop growth. Successful cultivation of legumes can be achieved by the selection and/or development of a salt-tolerant legume Rhizobium combination although high salinities are known to affect rhizobial activities. The aim of present study is the effect of strains of salt tolerant Rhizobia on IAA, EPS, nodule ARA activity, Nitrogen content, leghemoglobin content, siderophore production, IAR and salt concentration of Groundnut on coastal area of Cuddalore District of Tamil Nadu. The GNR CD-4 is the effect salt tolerance strain compared to other strains.

Site-Specific Nutrient Management

The editorial introduces to a Special Issue entitled ”Site-Specific Nutrient Management. The concept of the nitrogen gap (NG) is as a core challenge for an effective realization of the so called “twin objectives” in sustainable agriculture. This special issue stresses on some hot spots in crop production, being responsible in the yield gap development, that farmers have to take control. The yield gap cannot be ameliorated without the synchronization of the in-season requirements of the currently grown crop for N with its three-dimensional variability in a supply on a field (temporal, spatial and vertical). A recognition of soil fertility status in the rooted zone, which includes availability of both mineral N and nutrients decisive for its uptake, is the first step in the NG amelioration. The sustainability in soil fertility, as a prerequisite of N fertilizer application, requires a wise strategy of organic matter management, based on farmyard manure, and/or cultivation of legumes. The soil fertility status, irrespectively of the World region determines ways of the N rate optimization. The division of a particular field into homogenous productive units is the primary step in the NG cover. It can be delineated, using both data on soil physico-chemical properties of the soil rooted zone, and then validated by using satellite spectral images of the crop biomass in a well-defined stage of its growth, decisive for yield. The proposed set of diagnostic tools is a basis for elaboration an effective agronomic decision support system.

Legume-Modified Rotations Deliver Nutrition With Lower Environmental Impact

Introducing legumes to crop rotations could contribute toward healthy and sustainable diet transitions, but the current evidence base is fragmented across studies that evaluate specific aspects of sustainability and nutrition in isolation. Few previous studies have accounted for interactions among crops, or the aggregate nutritional output of rotations, to benchmark the efficiency of modified cropping sequences. We applied life cycle assessment to compare the environmental efficiency of ten rotations across three European climatic zones in terms of delivery of human and livestock nutrition. The introduction of grain legumes into conventional cereal and oilseed rotations delivered human nutrition at lower environmental cost for most of the 16 impact categories studied. In Scotland, the introduction of a legume crop into the typical rotation reduced external nitrogen requirements by almost half to achieve the same human nutrition potential. In terms of livestock nutrition, legume-modified rotations also delivered more digestible protein at lower environmental cost compared with conventional rotations. However, legume-modified rotations delivered less metabolisable energy for livestock per hectare-year in two out of the three zones, and at intermediate environmental cost for one zone. Our results show that choice of functional unit has an important influence on the apparent efficiency of different crop rotations, and highlight a need for more research to develop functional units representing multiple nutritional attributes of crops for livestock feed. Nonetheless, results point to an important role for increased legume cultivation in Europe to contribute to the farm and diet sustainability goals of the European Union's Farm to Fork strategy.

Measuring household legume cultivation intensity in sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACT Legumes form part of an ecological-based solution to intensification in areas with limited access to external inputs. Despite a number of decades of intervention, uptake of legumes has been slow within smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa. We explore the drivers behind the adoption of legumes by developing an indicator of household legume cultivation (HLC) from a bespoke survey of small-scale farm households in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A beta regression framework identifies the range of intensities across sites and farms, indicating a limited influence of agro-ecological zones and formal institutions on uptake. Age, income and gender have positive but very marginal effects. Intensive legume cultivations were less driven by commercial growth objectives or access to market oppourtunities indicating lack of legume markets to incentivize production. There was little interest in expanding farm area, which reflects the lack of assets available to these farmers and leads to the use of legumes for providing home nutrition, or supporting farm fertility and livestock feed. Further development of this HLC metric would be enabled by consistent data gathering across regions, or at least equally detailed studies of legume uptake.

Nitrogen Yields and Biological Nitrogen Fixation of Winter Grain Legumes

Grain legumes are valuable sources of protein and contribute to the diversification and sustainability of agricultural systems. Shifting the sowing date from spring to autumn is a strategy to address low yields of spring grain legumes under conditions of climate change. A two-year field experiment was conducted under Pannonian climate conditions in eastern Austria to assess the nitrogen yield and biological N2 fixation of winter peas and winter faba beans compared to their spring forms. The grain nitrogen yields of winter peas and winter faba beans were 1.83-fold and 1.35-fold higher compared to their spring forms, respectively, with a higher value for winter peas. This was mainly due to higher grain yields of winter legumes, as winter faba beans had a 1.06-fold higher grain nitrogen concentration than spring faba bean. Soil mineral nitrate after harvest was similar for all grain legumes, with by 2.85- and 2.92-fold higher values for peas and faba beans than for cereals, respectively. The N2 fixation of winter peas and winter faba beans were 3.90-fold and 2.28-fold higher compared to their spring forms, with winter peas having a 1.60-fold higher N2 fixation than winter faba beans. The negative nitrogen balance of winter peas was smaller than that of winter faba beans as they demonstrated the ability to overcompensate for higher nitrogen removal with grain through higher N2 fixation. The cultivation of winter grain legumes, especially winter peas, can be recommended under Pannonian climate conditions as they achieve high nitrogen yields and high levels of N2 fixation.

Legumes: staple foods used in rituals and festive events of Apulia region (southern Italy)

ABSTRACT Apulia, the most southeastern region of Italy, has a long-lasting tradition of legume cultivation. These species, together with cereals, two milestones of the Mediterranean diet, have been cultivated in the region uninterruptedly since the Neolithic age. For a long time, legume species have had a pivotal role in the traditional agro-techniques and as staple foods for local people. This has generated original rituals, traditions, beliefs, and sayings concerning the legumes, mainly broad beans and chickpeas. Generally, one or some traditions have been perpetuated in some Apulian villages, which result from the regional social complexity due to intense exchanges with the eastern side of the Mediterranean Sea and succeeding migrations of populations with different cultures and religions. The deep transformation of Apulian agriculture that occurred in the second half of the twentieth century has produced the progressive loss of a much of the cultural, religious, and social significance associated with vegetal species. This paper describes the utilization of certain local legume varieties in Apulian rituals, banquets, religious and social events, which still enjoy relevant popularity in the region. In these celebrations, legumes become cultural symbols for the individuals or communities promoting them, though the original meaning has been partially modified or completely changed over time.

Factors affecting the commercialization of food legumes in North Cameroon

The study focused on factors affecting the commercialization of food legumes-cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata), bambara groundnuts(Vignasubterranea), groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea) and soybeans (Glycine max) in two departments (Benouéand Mayo-Louti) of the North Region of Cameroon. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect data. Qualitative methods involved focus group discussions and direct observations. A structured interview guide was administered in major peri-urban and urban markets to get supportive quantitative data. The respondents were selected using purposive sampling technique. A content analysis was conducted and quantitative data was analyzed with the aid of XLSTAT 2007 software and Excel. A cross-section of the age and gender population was involved in the marketing of food legumes. Women constituted more than 80% in the retail sector on peri-urban markets. The study found that 100% of the vendors had never got any form of training on business management before engaging into the sector. Socio-cultural factors were determinant factors that impacted negatively in promoting an entrepreneurial culture among women. The marginalization of women, the restriction of land ownership by traditional tenure and poor distribution of land for agriculture were some of the main constraints faced by women. The impediments of women’s empowerment include their lack of access to the decision-making process, low participation in local governance and limited access to technology inputs and credit. Traditional practices forbid women and girls to have or manage large amounts of money. Such restrictions have serious consequences on agricultural production. Instead of exploiting the productive capacity of women at all levels, including food production and transformation, some of the traditions simply stifle their potential energies. In addition to socio-cultural factors, major bottlenecks faced in the production and commercialisation of food legumes includes social structural and institutional, agronomic, natural(biotic and abiotic stress)and climatic factors. Development of intervention strategies through exogenous innovation techniques might act as an incentive for smallholder farmers to invest more of their land and energy in cultivation of food legumes. More attention should be focused on market research and development with crop improvement programmes that are economically profitable, if food legumes are to continue making a greater contribution to the household income, nutrition and sustainable development in North Cameroon.

ОЦЕНКА ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТИ ОБРАБОТКИ ПОЧВЫ И ЗАЩИТЫ РАСТЕНИЙ НА ЗЕРНОВЫХ БОБОВЫХ КУЛЬТУРАХ В УСЛОВИЯХ ЛЕСОСТЕПНОЙ ЗОНЫ ПОВОЛЖЬЯ

The article presents results of studies of comparative productivity and cultivation economic efficiency of soybeans, peas, lupine and chickpeas, depending on main tillage systems in crop rotation and the level of plant protection from harmful organisms. Grain legumes are capable of forming a seed yield of 2.0 t / ha in the conditions of the forest-steppe zone of the Volga region. Three-year experimental studies have shown that the studied leguminous crops can be arranged in the following row according to the yield level: peas - 2.51 t / ha&gt; lupine - 2.12 t / ha&gt; chickpea –2.11 t / ha&gt; soybean - 2.10 t / ha. Evaluation of the effect of soil tillage in cultivation of grain legumes showed a significant yield increase by plowing for 25-27 cm in comparison with tillage for 12-14 cm for all the studied crops, a yield increase for adaptive-integrated plant protection was also noted in comparison with minimum protection (protection only against weeds). Studies show that lupine crops had an advantage in protein content, its yield is from 533 to 802 kg / ha, as for soybeans, protein yield was 449-666 kg / ha, peas - 430-521 kg / ha, and chickpeas - 346-486 kg / ha with the advantage of the mentioned variants. A higher conditional net income was obtained on soybeans (31555-44584 rubles / ha) and chickpeas (27777-40037 rubles / ha), especially on combined tillage in crop rotation. Plant protection systems had an equal impact on economic efficiency of their cultivation; in some variants, adaptively integrated plant protection was less effective