Cool-season Grain Legumes
Leader: Moritz Reckling
Co-Leader: Inka Notz
This network aims to manage and balance several different challenges in the production of cool-season grain legume crops (e.g., faba bean, field pea and lupin). It is composed of the following actor groups:
· Bulgarian Legumes Network
· Schwaebisch Hall Producers
· German Lupin Network
· German Pea and Bean Network
· Swiss Lupin Network
· Brandenburg Farmers
· Irish Protein Crops Group
· Europe Soya Value Chain Development Group
· Ground for Growth
The production of cool-season grain legumes in Europe is below its potential. Reasons for this include constraints such as a general lack of knowledge on effective cultivation practices and general uncertainty on the economic and environmental effects of grain legumes in cropping systems.
The network is supporting the increase in the agronomic performance of cool-season grain legumes by focusing on the compilation and dissemination of knowledge with practice notes, practice guides and videos on topics such as yield stability, weed and pest control, varieties low in anti-nutritional compounds and cultivation techniques.
It also supports the project’s economic and environmental assessments of grain legumes in cropping systems. This includes evaluating legumes in crop rotation in several regions around Europe. In addition to this, the activities of the network range from field days, seminars and workshops to exchange knowledge and experiences.