Abstract
Intensive agriculture and meat-based westernized diets have brought a heavy environmental burden to the planet. Legumes, or pulses, are members of the large Fabaceae (Leguminosae) family, which comprise about 5% of all plant species. They are ancient crops whose popularity both for farmers and consumers has gone through several stages of acceptance, and in recent years, legumes have regained their luster. This is due to a global understanding that: (1) farming systems need to promote biodiversity, (2) biological nitrogen fixation is an important tool to reduce the application of external chemical inputs, namely in the form of nitrogen fertilizers, and that (3) plant-based foods have fewer adverse environmental effects per unit weight, per serving, per unit of energy, or per protein weight than do animal source foods, across various environmental indicators. Legumes play a key role in answering these three global challenges and are pivotal actors in the diversification and sustainable intensification of agriculture, particularly in light of new and urgent challenges such as climate change. In this chapter, we showcase the importance of legumes as contemporary agents of change, whose impacts start in the field, but then branch out into competitive global economies, modernized societies, and ultimately, improved food security and human health.
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Acknowledgements
This research is supported by the EU Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program project “TRansition paths to sUstainable legume based systems in Europe|” (TRUE, www.true-project.eu) funded under Grant Agreement number 727973. MV, CS, EV, EP, HG, AP, AD are also supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under project UID/Multi/50016/2013. MAG is supported by the US Department of Agriculture through project 3060-21650-001-00D. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the US Department of Agriculture, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the US Government. Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) is supported by the Scottish Government’s Rural and Environmental Science and Analytical Services (RESAS), a Division of the Scottish Government. The James Hutton Institute (PI, MM, AK) is supported by the Scottish Government’s Rural and Environmental Science and Analytical Services (RESAS), a Division of the Scottish Government.
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Vasconcelos, M.W. et al. (2020). The Biology of Legumes and Their Agronomic, Economic, and Social Impact. In: Hasanuzzaman, M., Araújo, S., Gill, S. (eds) The Plant Family Fabaceae. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4752-2_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4752-2_1
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