Legumes for Global Food Security

Legumes are an essential food crop and a relevant source of plant-based proteins for humans around the globe, and particularly in developing countries. Grain legumes are highly nutritious and have excellent nutraceutical properties; these are affordable foods contributing to household food safety and, as a result, offer great hope and opportunity for achieving future global feed and food security. There is no doubt that facing an increasing world population over the next 50 years, the implementation of future research strategies and programs on legume productivity by harnessing scientific expertise and emerging molecular tools is of great importance to develop high-yielding legume varieties with enhanced multiple beneficial qualities and to tackle human diseases, using both traditional breeding and biotechnology methods. Grain legumes enhance the sustainability of cropping systems by increasing soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation. They are adapted to diverse climates, thus providing solutions to climate change. Improved varieties having heat and drought tolerance are able to overcome abiotic stresses, offering even more hope for crop stability in vulnerable regions as well as against pests and diseases that cause significant production losses, making them a central component of sustainable intensification efforts on millions of small and poor farms. This book provides an innovative contribution for people working with legumes in different fields such as agriculture, crop improvement, health promoting aspects, pest and disease fighting, and the overall scientific community, giving them an updated and global vision about the importance of legumes for the worlds greatest challenge in global feed and food future under a sustainable agriculture. The book includes the following topics: Legume germplasm; Increasing legume production to improve food security, nutrition food safe, environmental benefits and economy; Legumes and climate change; Pests and disease management; Nutritional improvement of legumes; Legumes health benefits; Legumes allergy research.