Legumes Under Environmental Stress

Leguminous crops have been found to contribute almost 27% of the world’s primary crop production. However, due to environmental fluctuations, legumes are often exposed to different environmental stresses, leading to problems with growth and development, and ultimately, decreased yield. This timely review explains the transcriptomics, proteomics, genomics, metabolomics, transgenomics, functional genomics and phenomics of a wide range of different leguminous crops under biotic and abiotic stresses, and their genetic and molecular responses. Amongst others the text describes the effect of nutrient deficiency, pesticides, salt, and temperature stress on legumes. Importantly, the book explores the physiobiochemical, molecular and omic approaches that are used to overcome biotic and abiotic constraints in legumes. It looks at the exogenous application of phytoprotectants; the role of nutrients in the alleviation of abiotic stress; and the microbial strategy for the improvement of legume production under hostile environments. Key features: demonstrates how to mitigate the negative effect of stress on leguminous crops, and how to improve the yield under stress the most up-to-date research in the field written by an international team of active researchers and practitioners across academia, industry and non-profit organisations. This volume is a valuable and much-needed resource for scientists, professionals and researchers working in plant science, breeding, food security, crop improvement and agriculture worldwide. In universities it will educate postgraduate and graduate students in plant science and agriculture; it will also benefit those in scientific institutions and in biotech and agribusiness companies, who deal with agronomy and environment.

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

"Legumes Under Environmental Stress: Roles and Limitations in Yield Improvement and Adaptations" is a comprehensive book that explores the complex relationship between legume crops and environmental stress factors. Legumes, including various species of beans, peas, lentils, and soybeans, play a crucial role in global agriculture due to their high nutritional value, ability to fix nitrogen, and soil fertility improvement. However, legume crops are highly susceptible to environmental stressors such as drought, heat, salinity, and various biotic stresses, which can significantly reduce their productivity and threaten food security. This book delves into the multifaceted aspects of legume crops under environmental stress, highlighting their physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses to adverse conditions. It presents an in-depth analysis of the limitations faced by legumes in maintaining optimal growth and yield under stress, while also exploring the potential roles and adaptations that can enhance their resilience and productivity. The chapters of this book cover a wide range of topics, including insights on legume proteins, genetic and genomic approaches for stress tolerance improvement, physiological and biochemical responses to environmental stress, future prospects of legume in cropping system for sustainable cultivation. It also discusses emerging technologies and breeding strategies for developing stress-tolerant legume varieties. By compiling the latest research findings from renowned experts in the field, this book provides valuable insights into the challenges faced by legume crops in various environmental stress scenarios. It offers a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying stress tolerance in legumes, shedding light on potential strategies to mitigate yield losses and enhance adaptability. "Legumes Under Environmental Stress" serves as a valuable resource for researchers, agronomists, plant breeders, and policymakers seeking to improve legume crop production and resilience in the face of changing environmental conditions. It emphasizes the importance of sustainable legume agriculture and the potential of legume crops to contribute to global food security and environmental sustainability in the future.

Abiotic Stress and Legumes: Tolerance and Management is the first book to focus on these important factors in legume productivity. As a primary and increasingly important food source, efficient legume productivity relies on the plant's ability to effectively adapt to environmental challenges. The book takes a targeted approach to understanding the methods and means of ensuring survival and productivity of the legume plant. It illustrates the progress that has been made in managing abiotic stress effects in legumes, including the development of several varieties that show tolerance against abiotic stress with 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 induce capability within legume plants to manage their productivity under abiotic stresses. This book thoroughly examines these emerging strategies and serves as an important resource for researchers, academicians, scientists, and those interested in 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

The world population will grow more rapidly during the few coming years. This must be accompanied by a parallel increase in the agricultural production to secure adequate food. Sustainability considerations mandate that alternatives to chemical nitrogen fertilizers must be urgently sought. Biological nitrogen (N2) fixation, a microbiological process which converts atmospheric N2 into a plant-usable form, offers this alternative. Among these renewable sources, N2-fixing legumes offer an economically attractive and ecologically sound means of reducing external inputs and improving internal resources. Environmental factors such as drought, elevated temperature, salinity, soil acidity and rising CO2 are known to dramatically affect the symbiotic process and thus play a part in determining the actual amount of nitrogen fixed by a given legume in the field. Understanding how nodule N2 fixation responds to the environment is crucial for improving legume production and maintaining sustainability in the context of global change. In this thoughtful and provocative new Brief, we provide critical information on how current and projected future changes in the environment will affect legume growth and their symbiotic N2 fixing capabilities. Each section reviews the main drivers of environmental change on the legume performance that include drought, elevated temperature, salinity and rising CO2, and soil acidity. Importantly we discuss the molecular approaches to the analysis of the stress response in legumes and the possible biotechnological strategies to overcome their detrimental effects.

Global climate change has created unprecedented challenges for human civilization due to its widespread adverse consequences, including a reduction in crop yield and threatening food security across the globe. Among the crop plants, legumes have great potential for ameliorating global warming since they can reduce carbon emissions by lowering reliance on the application of chemical fertilizers, by increasing nitrification and carbon sequestration in soil, and by providing protein-rich diets to both humans and livestock. This book identifies the extent of climate-induced stresses on legume plants and focuses on achieving food security through sustainable agricultural practices. This book compiles recent research findings and reviews on climate-related problems, the potential of legumes in ameliorating the impacts of climate change, as well as better management of agricultural land and practices for achieving environmental sustainability and food security. This book will serve as guidelines for scientists, agricultural practitioners, and policymakers working to achieve food security and better management of climate-induced stresses in agricultural interventions. It will also be useful as a reference book for researchers and students of both graduate and postgraduate levels. Furthermore, this book will provide enhanced knowledge about the mechanisms of yield and stress tolerance of legumes as well as developing climate-smart crops and improving cropping systems for a sustainable environment and food security. Features of the book Reviews trends of global climate change and its consequences for food security across the continents Identifies the challenges and scopes of cultivating legumes in achieving food security in the context of global climate change Focuses on the improvements of legume production through conservation approaches in agricultural practices and modern techniques, including omics-based breeding, biotechnology, genetic engineering, and rhizobium technology Discusses the sustainable amelioration options for soils affected by climate-induced stresses Cites examples of applications of rhizobium technologies in reducing greenhouse gas emission Describes pathways associated with yield, resistance, and tolerance of legumes to climate-induced stresses

This reference provides comprehensive insights on the harm inflicted by pests and diseases on leguminous crops. Internationally acclaimed authors provide succinct reviews on breeding and impact of biotic stress factors such as insect pests, microbial pathogens, spiders, and vertebrate pests in legumes like soybean, cowpea, and common bean. The book also contains detailed technical analysis of methods such as the PCR-based detection, next generation sequencing / marker-assisted selections, low cost lethal-non-lethal vertebrate pest control and mechanisms of climate/nutrient induced resistance. The unique feature of this book is its focus on the optimization and development of environmentally friendly methods for pest and disease control in leguminous crops. Other features include structured sections for easy reading and a list of references for advanced readers. Key themes: Biotic Stress and Plant Resistance Biotic Stress in Legumes (Cowpea and Soybean) Diagnostic and Control Methods for Microbial Plant Pathogens Viral Diseases of Legumes and Management: Vertebrate Pests in Legumes and Economic Implications Spiders in Legume Agroecosystems Climate-Driven Factors and Insect Pests of Legumes Sustainable Crop Nutrition for Biotic Stress Alleviation in Legumes Physiological Responses in Legumes to Combined Stress Factors

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.