Faba Research Articles

Legume protein gelation: The mechanism behind the formation of homogeneous and fractal gels

Protein gelation can provide texture in plant-based foods and can be influenced by many factors, including protein extraction method and salt addition. However, the protein gelation mechanism is still not well understood for plant proteins, especially for isolates obtained using commercial protein extraction processes. Therefore, the structural changes that legume sources such as yellow pea, faba bean, and soybeans undergo during the gelation process to understand the differences in their gelation mechanisms was investigated herein by using small-angle neutron scattering. Among these protein sources, the commercial extraction method was found to play a major part in the gelation pathway. Intensive protein extraction methods involving isoelectric precipitation led to lower protein solubility (∼1–38% w/w), larger insoluble protein particle sizes (60–100 μm), and a gelation pathway that is dependent on the changes of the insoluble protein particles. In contrast, extraction using ultrafiltration instead of precipitation resulted in higher protein solubility (∼18–88% w/w) and smaller insoluble protein particle sizes (40–70 μm), and the structural changes observed during gelation involved the structural changes of both soluble proteins and insoluble proteins. SEM imaging also showed different gel networks, with fractal networks formed by insoluble proteins (for sources with low solubility) or more homogenous networks formed by the interactions between the soluble proteins (for sources with high solubility). Despite the differences observed in the gelation network and the protein solubility, the gelation strength exhibited by protein sources at low protein solubility were similar to the ones by protein sources at high protein solubility, demonstrating the potential of fractal gel networks in providing texture.

Crop diversity significantly enhances soil carbon sequestration via alleviating soil inorganic carbon decline caused by rhizobium inoculation

Increasing crop diversity and nitrogen (N) fertilizer application have been identified as effective strategies for enhancing productivity and soil organic carbon (SOC) storage in agroecosystems. However, the impact of these management practices on soil inorganic carbon (SIC) in agroecosystems remains unclear. At present, we evaluated the effects of maize/faba bean intercropping, N application rates, and inoculation rhizobia of faba bean on SIC in the top 20 cm of soil depth using a 13-year crop diversity field experiment. Our results showed that the soil total carbon (TC) content increased significantly by 5.9 % and 7.0 % compared to faba bean monoculture and maize monoculture, respectively, after 13 years of continuous intercropping. Intercropping increased the pedogenic carbonate (PIC) content by 36.7 %, resulting in an 8.9 % higher SIC content compared to faba bean monoculture. Additionally, intercropping significantly reduced the dissolution of lithogenic carbonate (LIC) by 17.5 %, leading to a 7.6 % higher SIC content compared to maize monoculture. The formation of PIC was associated with an increase in soil available cations especially Ca2+ in intercropping. The conservation of LIC was related to the higher soil available Mg2+ in intercropping than monoculture. Faba bean inoculated with rhizobia significantly decreased SIC content due to soil acidification after 13 years of continuous cropping. Intercropping also significantly increased SOC and C3-derived SOC content compared to maize monoculture and increased C4-derived SOC content compared with faba bean monoculture. Soil organic carbon showed a positive correlation with SIC across all cropping systems, and the SOC fractions could affect the neoformation of PIC and dissolution of LIC. Our results demonstrate that intercropping can increase SIC content, which further promotes soil carbon sequestration. This study highlights the significance of increasing crop diversity on cropland carbon sequestration and provides practical implications for mitigating carbon emissions.

Metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses of microbial genera and volatiles produced during the fermentation of doubanjiang meju

Fermented broad beans (Vicia faba L.), commonly known as meju, serve as a crucial raw material for producing Pixian Doubanjiang (DBJ), a traditional condiment in Chinese cuisine. However, there is limited information on the dynamics of fungal populations and the activity shifts of key enzymes during DBJ meju fermentation. This study aimed to elucidate the microbial composition, active genera, expressed genes and pathways during the DBJ meju fermentation. The general chemical components, free amino acids, enzymes and volatile compounds were also investigated; the correlations between active genera and physicochemical factors were analyzed, at different fermentation stages. The results demonstrated that protease was the predominant enzyme during meju fermentation. A total of 32 major volatile compounds were identified, with most alcohols and aldehydes showing a sharp increase from the early to the middle stages, followed by stabilization until the end of fermentation. Significant shifts in metatranscriptomic composition at the genus level were observed, with Aspergillus, Staphylococcus, and Tulasnella emerging as the core active genera in the process. Notably, cellulase activity was positively correlated with the presence of Tulasnella. Additionally, Aspergillus and Tulasnella were found to play a crucial role in developing the unique aroma of DBJ meju. Our findings on the succession of active genera and their correlation with physicochemical factors are expected to provide substantial evidence for potential quality control and enhancement of this renowned Chinese condiment.

Biomass yield, crude protein yield and nitrogen use efficiency over nine years in annual and perennial cropping systems

Emerging biorefinery technologies can lead to new applications and new markets for various types of crop biomass. This may allow significant changes in agricultural production from crop rotations dominated by annual grain and seed crops towards annual or perennial cropping systems composed with the aims of higher biomass yield and environmental sustainability. In this study, we investigated 7 annual and 7 perennial cropping systems on a sandy loam soil, with large differences in N fertilization. Yield of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) was measured over nine growing seasons from 2013 to 2021. A conventional four-year cash crop rotation with cereals and winter oil seed rape served as a reference and achieved mean annual yields of DM and CP of 10.5 and 0.85 Mg ha−1 y−1, respectively, across the nine years. Continuous maize and triticale had significantly higher DM and CP yields, with 57 and 15 % increases in DM yield compared to the reference crop rotation, respectively. Optimized four-year crop rotations with various annual crops including triticale, maize, beet, hemp or faba bean and various intermediate crops achieved 51–84 % and 42–78 % higher yield of DM and CP, respectively. Perennial cropping systems with festulolium and tall fescue with three or four harvests per year achieved 63–65 % higher DM yield and 192–200 % higher CP yield (2.47–2.55 Mg ha−1 y−1) compared to the cash crop rotation. Perennial cropping systems with miscanthus and willow had high DM but low CP yield. As a measure of nitrogen use efficiency, partial factor productivity of DM yield (PFPDM) and CP yield (PFPCP) were calculated, and both varied significantly between cropping systems, with highest PFPDM for M. × giganteus and willow (114–192 kg DM kg N−1) and lowest for festulolium and tall fescue (38–40 kg DM kg N−1). PFPCP was highest for the optimized crop rotations (6.88–7.94 kg CP kg N−1) and lowest for miscanthus (2.94–4.98 kg CP kg N−1). Across 12 of the cropping systems, which included both protein crops and lignocellulosic crops, there was a non-linear DM yield response to N fertilization rate with PFPDM decreasing from 134.9 to 37.2 kg DM kg N−1 when increasing the N rate from 50 to 500 kg ha−1 y−1. On the other hand, there was a linear CP yield response and, therefore, a constant PFPCP of 5.94 kg CP kg−1 N across N fertilization rates. The results clearly indicate that cropping systems can be modified to achieve higher DM and CP yields but also that choice of cropping system and optimal N fertilization may need adjustment depending on the use of the harvested biomass, the possibilities for biorefining into various components and products as well as the economic value of the components.

Impact of Particle Size on the Physicochemical, Functional, and In Vitro Digestibility Properties of Fava Bean Flour and Bread.

Fava beans, renowned for their nutritional value and sustainable cultivation, are pivotal in various food applications. This study examined the implications of varying the particle size on the functional, physicochemical, and in vitro digestibility properties of fava bean flour. Fava bean was milled into 0.14, 0.50, and 1.0 mm particle sizes using a Ferkar multipurpose knife mill. Physicochemical analyses showed that the 0.14 mm flour had more starch damage, but higher protein and fat contents. Functionality assessments revealed that the finer particle sizes had better foaming properties, swelling power, and gelation behavior than the coarse particle size. Emulsion capacity showed that for all the pH conditions, 1.00 mm particle size flour had a significantly higher (p < 0.05) oil droplet size, while the 0.5 and 0.14 mm flours had smaller and similar oil droplet sizes. Moreover, in vitro digestibility assays resulted in improved starch digestion (p ˂ 0.05) with the increase in flour particle size. Varying the particle size of fava bean flour had less impact on the in vitro digestibility of the bread produced from wheat-fava bean composite flour, with an average of 84%. The findings underscore the critical role of particle size in tailoring fava bean flour for specific culinary purposes and nutritional considerations.

Effects of occasional tillage on soil physical and chemical properties and weed infestation in a 10-year no-till system

Few studies have investigated how one-time targeted tillage of long-term no-till fields impacts topsoil properties and weed dynamics. An on-farm trial was implemented in 2020 to test the effects of occasional tillage (OT) in Morocco with a long-term no-tillage (NT) system and rainfed field crops: durum wheat (Triticum durum), faba bean (Vicia faba minor), and chickpea (Cicer arietinum). Four treatments were established, namely, continuous NT with crop residues maintained (“NT + residue”); continuous NT with crop residues not maintained (“NT-residue”); shallow inversion tillage (“shallow OT”); and deep non-inversion tillage (“deep OT”). We assessed the effect of these treatments on soil physical and chemical properties in 0–10 and 10–20 cm soil depths after crop harvest of the 2020–2021 (year 1) and 2021–2022 (year 2) growing seasons corresponding to 1 and 2 years after OT, respectively. In addition, we evaluated the effect of the treatments on weed populations and the effect of the legume crop rotated with wheat on soil nitrogen (N) and weed density. In year 1, deep OT reduced the water content at field capacity and available water capacity at 0–10 cm compared to continuous NT; the cation-exchange capacity (CEC) under deep OT was lower than in NT-residue and NT + residue at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm, respectively. Furthermore, deep OT increased ammonium-N (NH4-N) at 0–10 and 10–20 cm compared to NT + residue but reduced exchangeable potassium (K) at 10–20 cm depth compared to NT-residue. In year 2, shallow OT had lower total porosity at 10–20 cm than NT + residue, while shallow and deep OT recorded higher water-stable aggregates at 0–10 cm than NT + residue; at 10–20 cm, deep OT recorded lower CEC than NT + residue. However, deep OT had higher nitrate-N (NO3-N) and available sulfur (S) than NT-residue at 10–20 cm. Occasional tillage did not significantly affect 10 out of 19 of the soil properties evaluated, including soil organic matter (SOM), in all the years and did not help reduce the stratification of soil nutrients in NT. In year 1, 50 days after OT, deep OT reduced the weed density by 46% compared to NT + residue, while in year 2, 406 days after OT, shallow OT reduced weed density by 53% compared to NT-residue. Regarding the effect of the legume rotated with wheat, faba bean appeared to be the better preceding or following wheat crop as it resulted in higher residual soil mineral N and lower weed infestation than chickpea.

Bacillus siamensis strain B30 as a biocontrol agent for enhancing systemic resistance and mitigating bean yellow mosaic virus infestation in faba bean plants

Bacillus siamensis strain B30 as a biocontrol agent for enhancing systemic resistance and mitigating bean yellow mosaic virus infestation in faba bean plants

Faba bean nutrition: Macronutrients, antinutrients, and the effect of processing

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesFaba beans are emerging as highly nutritious ingredients that have the potential to contribute to the global demand for healthy and sustainable plant‐based proteins. The current review aims to provide a summarized overview of faba bean macronutrients, protein quality, and antinutritional factors (ANFs), as well as their reduction strategies through a variety of processing means.FindingsRelative to other pulses, faba beans are higher in protein content and similar in protein quality. However, without proper preparation and/or processing, the presence of minor amounts of ANFs can hinder their nutritional value. These nonnutritive, but biologically active, compounds can be diminished through mechanical, thermal, and nonthermal treatments.ConclusionsNonconventional processing techniques to retain or improve protein quality remain an area of future research for improving faba bean nutrition and expanding its utilization.Significance and NoveltyThis review will advance the science and utilization of faba bean ingredients while providing future research opportunities.

Synergism Interactions of Plant-Based Proteins: Their Effect on Emulsifying Properties in Oil/Water-Type Model Emulsions

This study investigated the synergistic effects of three protein concentrates from legumes (pea, lentil, and lima bean) as emulsifiers and stabilizers of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions using a simplex-centroid mixture design. The aim was to check whether proteins combined in different proportions have better emulsifying properties than isolated proteins. During this study, each protein concentrate was characterized by different evaluated parameters: emulsifying activity, emulsion stability, accelerated stability test, thermal coagulation time, stability to coalescence, and others. After statistical analysis mixture optimization, it was found that the best formulation for stabilizing O/W emulsion under the tested conditions (2% total protein; 3% sunflower oil) was the protein blend containing 21.21% pea, 32.78% lentil, and 46.01% fava bean. This blend exhibited better emulsification properties compared to the individual proteins.

Effect of different protein sources on the meat quality of Złotnicka Spotted pigs with particular emphasis of slaughter body weight

Abstract The aim of the study was to determine the impact of protein feeding from Fabaceae plants and the final slaughter weight on the quality of meat of native Złotnicka Spotted pigs. The experiment was carried out on 96 fattening pigs (48 barrows and 48 gilts) of the Złotnicka Spotted breed. Animals were divided into 4 feeding groups: group A – control cereal-soybean mixture, and 3 experimental mixtures containing different types of domestic protein sources (groups B - lupin, C - faba beans and D - peas). All diets were isoproteic and isoenergetic within the fattening phase, i.e. grower and finisher. In addition, pigs were fattened to 3 different slaughter weights: 120, 130 and 140 kg. The type of protein had no effect on fattening and slaughter traits. These traits (feed intake [kg], gaily gain during fattening [g/day], mean backfat thickness [mm]) were influenced by the body weight of the pigs at slaughter (p&lt;0.01). It was found a statistically significant interaction effect between feeding group and body weight on the fat, the fatty acid profile of meat (longissimus lumborum) and on oxidative stability (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances - TBARS) of meat. Increasing the slaughter weight to 140 kg affects increasing the fat content (p&lt;0,05) of meat (longissimus lumborum) primarily in groups of pigs fed on cereal-soy mix (A) and faba beans (C). In addition, fat up to 140 kg and feeding with faba beans (C) and peas (D) has a beneficial effect by reducing the proportion of PUFA n-6/n-3 in meat (p&lt;0,05). Finally, the benefit of feeding pigs with faba beans (C) up to a slaughter weight of 140 kg is the reduction of TBARS of meat (p&lt;0,05). In conclusion, increasing the slaughter weight up to 140 kg and the use in the feed mixture of faba beans improves the nutritional value and oxidation durability of pork.

Impacts of Elevated CO2 and a Nitrogen Supply on the Growth of Faba Beans (Vicia faba L.) and the Nitrogen-Related Soil Bacterial Community.

Ecosystems that experience elevated CO2 (eCO2) are crucial interfaces where intricate interactions between plants and microbes occur. This study addressed the impact of eCO2 and a N supply on faba bean (Vicia faba L.) growth and the soil microbial community in auto-controlled growth chambers. In doing so, two ambient CO2 concentrations (aCO2, daytime/nighttime = 410/460 ppm; eCO2, 550/610 ppm) and two N supplement levels (without a N supply-N0-and 100 mg N as urea per kg of soil-N100) were applied. The results indicated that eCO2 mitigated the inhibitory effects of a N deficiency on legume photosynthesis and affected the CO2 assimilation efficiency, in addition to causing reduced nodulation. While the N addition counteracted the reductions in the N concentrations across the faba beans' aboveground and belowground plant tissues under eCO2, the CO2 concentrations did not significantly alter the soil NH4+-N or NO3--N responses to a N supply. Notably, under both aCO2 and eCO2, a N supply significantly increased the relative abundance of Nitrososphaeraceae and Nitrosomonadaceae, while eCO2 specifically reduced the Rhizobiaceae abundance with no significant changes under aCO2. A redundancy analysis (RDA) highlighted that the soil pH (p < 0.01) had the most important influence on the soil microbial community. Co-occurrence networks indicated that the eCO2 conditions mitigated the impact of a N supply on the reduced structural complexity of the soil microbial communities. These findings suggest that a combination of eCO2 and a N supply to crops can provide potential benefits for managing future climate change impacts on crop production.

The Impact of Different Soaking Solutions on Minerals Availability and In Vitro Protein Digestibility of Faba Bean (Vicia faba)

The Impact of Different Soaking Solutions on Minerals Availability and In Vitro Protein Digestibility of Faba Bean (Vicia faba)

Improving dual cover crop mixtures to increase shoot biomass production and weed suppression potential

IntroductionCover crop services depend on biomass production and species composition of the cover crop stand. In this study, we investigated the interactions in shoot biomass of dual cover crop mixtures and their competitiveness to suppress weeds before winter under different growing conditions.MethodsA field experiment was performed on sandy loam soil in Triesdorf, Germany, for two consecutive years. The cover crop species white mustard (Sinapis alba L.), oil radish (Raphanus sativus var. oleiformis L.), phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia J.), Egyptian clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.), common vetch (Vicia sativa L.), field pea (Pisum sativum L.), and field bean (Vicia faba L.) were grown in pure stands or dual mixtures. Cover crops were sown in August, and shoot biomass was harvested at the end of the vegetation period. Cover crop shoot biomass was dried, and the share of each species and the sown test weed (Brassica napus L.) were determined.ResultsThe share of shoot biomass of a cover crop species in dual-species mixtures was closely related to its shoot biomass in its pure stand. In both years, mustard and phacelia showed similar interactions in shoot biomass production when growing with a second species. Regarding competitiveness against weeds, cruciferous species outperformed other cover crop species and could suppress weeds even if they were mixed with a less competitive partner. Weed suppression of mixtures with phacelia depended on the second component in the mixture and was more effective in a dry season. Legume species, especially Egyptian clover and common vetch could not suppress weeds in a pure stand.DiscussionOur results show that species with high weed suppression potential as single stands retain this ability in dual cover crop mixtures, regardless of the suppression potential of the second species that completes the mixture.

Faba Beans as a Sustainable Source of Protein

Abstract The growing demand for plant-based proteins and growing consumer awareness of the medicinal and health advantages of alternative proteins have prompted the nutrition and food industries to explore novel sources of protein. Faba beans represent a nutrient dense source of protein with low fat content with concomitant benefit of having low cost, accessibility, and environmentally sustainable and confer several health benefits. The presence of many antinutritional compounds in raw faba beans limits their applicability in a variety of culinary applications. Another limiting factor is the “beany flavor” commonly encountered in products derived from faba beans. Several processing techniques such as boiling, germination, and enzymatic treatment can easily be applied at domestic and industrial levels to lower certain allergens’ concentrations to enhance the applicability of faba bean in distinct food systems and guaranteeing consumer safety. However, careful consideration must be taken into account to minimize the loss of valuable nutrients such as minerals and vitamins during processing. It is anticipated that more research in this field will close the information gap regarding the nutritional and health benefits of faba bean seeds and expand their use in many different types of applications. Information © The Author 2024

Effect of Treatment with Humic Acid on Some Growth Characteristics and Protein Content in Different Varieties Vicia faba L. Plant

An experiment was carried out using plastic pots in the 2023-2024 season to evaluate the method of treatment with humic acid in the growth characteristics and protein percentage of different varieties of faba bean plants. The study included two factors, the method of adding humic acid (without acid, spraying acid on the plant, adding acid to the soil). The second factor included four varieties of beans (local Iraqi, Netherland, Spanish, and French). The results showed: superiority of the treatment of adding Humic acid to the soil in terms of plant height, total chlorophyll percentage, number of leaves, and protein percentage by 13.25% and 7.59 mg g-1 wet weight. 6.78% and 8.75%, respectively Compared to the control treatment, the local variety was superior in the characteristics of plant height and number of leaves by 31.72 and 7.26% compared to the French variety, which was superior in the characteristics of number of leaves and protein percentage by 12.27 and 24.0%, respectively. The interaction also outperformed adding acid to the local variety in plant height. By 53.13%, the French variety with added acid exceeded the characteristics of number of leaves and protein percentage by 26.40 and 30.50%, respectively.

Response of Growth and Yield of two Broad Bean (Vicia faba L) varieties for antioxidants and diammonium phosphate DAP fertilizer.

Response of Growth and Yield of two Broad Bean (Vicia faba L) varieties for antioxidants and diammonium phosphate DAP fertilizer.

Improving the Yield and Quality of Faba Bean Grown in Alkaline Soils Using Agricultural Gypsum, Organic Fertilizers and Cobalt

Improving the Yield and Quality of Faba Bean Grown in Alkaline Soils Using Agricultural Gypsum, Organic Fertilizers and Cobalt

Revealing the formation mechanism of umami peptides in fermented broad bean paste based on peptidomics and macrogenomics

Revealing the formation mechanism of umami peptides in fermented broad bean paste based on peptidomics and macrogenomics

Evaluation of Alternative Break Crops in Rotation with Bread Wheat (triticum aestivum l.) in South-Eastern Ethiopia

Crop rotation could be a possible intervention to resolve multifaceted problems of monoculture. In recent years, there is a concern about soil depletion caused by intensive farming. In crop rotation legume crops, which capture atmospheric nitrogen and “fix” it into forms available to plants will increase soil fertility. Faba bean (Vicia faba L.), rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), oat (Avena sativum L.) and vicia (Vicia dasycarpa Ten.) forage mixture were considered as a break/precursor crops. The result showed that most profitable cropping sequence was faba bean grown in a 3 year cycle with 2 crops of wheat (Amanuel et al., 1994). Thus, searching for promising and alternative break crops for wheat based rotation could increase productivity and maximize profit. Adaptaion trial around Bekoji showed that sweet lupine seems an option in tolerating acidity where faba bean is found susceptible. Thus, the objectives of this study was to evaluate alternative break crops on yield and yield components of the succeeding wheat and soil fertility maintenance in the rotation scheme. Thus, this study was executed for three consecutive years from 2017- 2019 main cropping seasons at Kulumsa, Bekoji and Asasa Arsi zone, South-Eastern Ethiopia to evaluate advantage of alternative break crops on yield and yield components of the succeeding wheat and its effect on soil fertility maintenance in the rotation scheme. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with five replications. The treatment include: wheat-sweet lupine-wheat-wheatwheat in year one (2017), sweet lupine-wheat-wheat faba bean-Ethiopian mustard in year two (2018) and wheat-wheat-wheat-wheat-wheat in the third year (2019). These leguminous crops have improved physico-chemical properties of soil. Plant nutrients of soil on which legumes were grown were increased. This improvement of soil properties by leguminous crops has resulted in higher yield of wheat than plots on which wheat was grown after wheat. Although non-significant, the third year Bekoji and Asasa combined analysis of variance revealed that the highest wheat grain yield (4197kg/ha) was obtained at sweet lupine-wheat-wheat followed by wheat-faba bean-wheat (4003kg/ha). However, plant height was significantly (P&lt;0.05) affected by rotational crops effect. The tallest plant height of wheat (105.0cm) was recoded from wheat-Ethioian mustard-wheat treatment. From this study, sweet lupine-wheat-wheat followed by wheat-faba bean-wheat with proper agronomic packages could be forwarded as a temporary recommendation in Asasa, Bokoji and Kulumsa areas and in areas with similar agro ecologies.

Preparation and characterization of β-glucan/polyvinyl alcohol/clove essential oil film and its application in the preservation of fresh broad bean pods

In this study, an active film was developed based on β-glucan (BG)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/clove essential oil (CEO) and its preservation effects on fresh broad bean pods were examined. The impact of different BG:PVA ratios (50:50, 40:60 and 30:70) and CEO concentrations (0.25%, 0.50% and 1.00%) on the capacities of film were investigated. A BG:PVA ratio of 40:60 and CEO content of 0.5% (w/w) were adopted following the optimization of the physical, mechanical and barrier capacities of the blended film. Subsequent characterization of the film via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy suggested that the BG hydroxyl groups interacted well with the PVA and CEO, and the good heat stability of the BG/PVA-CEO film was confirmed via thermal gravimetric analysis-differential scanning calorimetry. Importantly, the BG/PVA-CEO film also showed good antimicrobial activity. Moreover, the BG/PVA-0.5% CEO film effectively preserved fresh broad bean pods over a 30-day storage period, based on assessments of appearance, firmness, weight loss and the enzyme activities. These results indicate the promising applicability of the novel BG/PVA-CEO films as active coating materials for the preservation of fresh produce and food products.