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.

"In July 2005, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew published Legumes of the World, a book containing an encyclopaedic overview of the current knowledge of the 727 genera then recognised in the Leguminose (Fabaceae) family. This was the first fully-illustrated account of all legume genera. Legumes of the World was edited by four members of Kew's Herbarium legume research staff: Gwilym Lewis, Brian Schrire, Barbara Mackinder and Mike Lock (Brian and Mike have since retired). 20 legume specialists from 14 institutions in six countries contributed to the 36 chapters in the book."--Publisher description.

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.

Abiotic Stress and Legumes: Tolerance and Management is the first book to focus on the ability of legume plants to adapt effectively to environmental challenges. Using the -omic approach, this book takes a targeted approach to understanding the methods and means of ensuring survival and maximizing the productivity of the legume plant by improving tolerance to environmental /abiotic stress factors including drought, temperature change, and other challenges. The book presents a comprehensive overview of the progress that has been made in identifying means of managing abiotic stress effects, specifically in legumes, including the development of several varieties which exhibit tolerance through high yield using transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic and ionomic approaches. Further, exogenous application of various stimulants such as plant hormones, nutrients, sugars, and polyamines has emerged as an alternative strategy to improve productivity under these environmental challenges. Abiotic Stress and Legumes: Tolerance and Management examines these emerging strategies and serves as an important resource for researchers, academicians and scientists, enhancing their knowledge and aiding further research. - Explores the progress made in managing abiotic stress, specifically with high yield legumes - Highlights the molecular mechanisms related to acclimation - Presents proven strategies and emerging approaches to guide additional research

Advances in Legume-based Agroecoystem for Sustainable Intensification explores current research and future strategies for ensuring capacity growth and socioeconomic improvement through the utilization of legume crop cultivation and production in the achievement of sustainability development goals (SDGs). Sections cover the role of legumes in addressing issues of food security, improving nitrogen in the environment, environmental sustainability, economic-environmentally optimized systems, the importance and impact of nitrogen, organic production, and biomass potential, legume production, biology, breeding improvement, cropping systems, and the use of legumes for eco-friendly weed management. This book is an important resource for scientists, researchers and advanced students interested in championing the effective utilization of legumes for agronomic and ecological benefit. - Focuses on opportunities for agricultural impact and sustainability - Presents insights into both agricultural sustainability and eco-intensification - Includes the impact of legume production on societal impacts such as health and wealth management

Microbial Mitigation of Stress Responses of Food Legumes provides knowledge on the impact of abiotic and biotic stress on the agriculture of grain legumes especially pulses and it critically reviews the cutting-edge research in exploring plant microbe interactions to mitigate the stress. It helps in understanding the fundamentals of microbial-mediated management of abiotic and biotic stress in grain legumes. Salient features:  Describes the usefulness of microbiome of plant/insects for enhancing the production of grain legumes  Focuses on recent advances in microbial methods for mitigating the stress and their application in sustainability of legume production  Provides a unique collection of microbial data for the improvement of legume productivity  Details microbial metabolites at the gene and molecule levels for plant stress management The reader will get all essential and updated information on various stress factors, crop responses, and microbial-mediated stress management for better food legume production.

Microbes for Legume Improvement comprises 21 chapters and provides comprehensive information on concepts of microbial technology for the improvement of legumes grown in different agro-ecosystems. The role of microbes including symbiotic nitrogen fixers, asymbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria (like Azospirillum), plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), phosphate-solubilizing microbes, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and biocontrol agents in the improvement of both conventional and forage legumes growth is discussed. The role of bacterial biofilms in legume-Rhizobium interactions and metal tolerant microbes in the improvement of legumes is dealt separately. Furthermore, recent findings on the taxonomic status of rhizobia, various signal molecules affecting symbiosis, legume-pathogen and legume-rhizobial interactions and proteomic analysis of legume–microbe interactions are addressed. This volume gives a broad view of legume disease management using microbes and presents strategies for the management of cultivated legumes. It is therefore of special interest to both academics and professionals working in the field of microbiology, soil microbiology, environment microbiology, biotechnology and agronomy as well as plant protection sciences.

Legumes play an important role in the cropping systems of sub Saharan Africa (SSA). Legumes are an important source of nutrition to both humans and livestock by providing the much needed protein, minerals, fibre and vitamins. The sale of legumes seed, leaves and fibre generates income for the marginalized communities especially women. Cultivation of legumes is essential for the regeneration of nutrient-deficient soils. By biologically fixing nitrogen (BNF) in the soil, legumes provide a relatively low-cost method of replacing otherwise expensive inorganic nitrogen in the soil. This enhances soil fertility and boosts subsequent cereal crop yields. Production of legumes in SSA is however; hampered by a number of constraints among them low and declining soil fertility, low soil pH, high salinity, drought and flooding, poor access to improved germplasm, diseases, pests and weeds. Farmers need to learn how to overcome these constraints if the full benefits of legumes are to be gained. This book presents a synthesis of research work on legumes and draws attention to the importance of legumes in integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) and poverty alleviation in SSA.