EUFABA

Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources

 

 

Home

Background and State of the Art

Objectives and expected achievements

Project workplan

Role of participants

Project management and coordination

Exploitation and dissemination activities

Ethical aspects and safety provisions

Alterations to the Technical Annex

 

All over Europe there is a growing concern among consumers, consumer organisations and policy-makers about the safety and impact on the environment of agricultural production of food and foodstuffs. The faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is one of the oldest crops grown by man and is used as a source of protein in human diet, as fodder and forage crop for animals, and for available nitrogen in the biosphere. Its critical role in crop rotation, reducing energy cost, improving soil physical conditions and decreasing the amount of diseases and weed populations has long been recognized. Despite these advantages, legumes represent only 5% of the agricultural area in Europe compared with the 20-30% in North and South America, Australia and Asia. A recent increase of plant protein demand has emerged, partly on account of the negative economic consequences and the social alarm generated by Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) attributed to the use of animal-based cattle feed. The ban on the use of meat and bone meals in November 2000 greatly increased the deficit in material rich in proteins. This lack of home-produced plant protein sources has been covered with large imports (over 16 Mt in 1999-2000) of soybean from the US (source LINK, project AEP-FAIR CT98-3923) and even with legume crops that traditionally have been grown in the Mediterranean area. This high dependence has incited the UE to acquire means that reinforce leguminous crops and increase yields. Thus, it is highly important to re-introduce leguminous crops in the European farming systems that are lacking diversity and rely heavily on chemicals (both fertilizers and pesticides) as well as to diversify European crops. This matter, concerning faba bean, is not being addressed in any other European project. Consequently, it is of great importance to fulfill this gap in an European consortium.

In spite of its potential, the total area of faba bean cultivation has steadily decreased in many countries over the last century. Many reasons have been given for this decline but low and unstable yields as well as susceptibility to diseases are chiefly to blame. Recent research in Australia and Europe clearly shows that it is possible to breed new faba bean varieties that are disease resistant and will provide stable yields. However, plant pathogens have the capacity to adapt to new varieties and overcome certain resistance genes. By working in different locations the selection of more effective resistances can be facilitated.

To turn Vicia faba into a perfect candidate for a sustainable agriculture, the crop should be attractive both to producers and to users (human or animal nutrition). This goal could be achieved through the development of genotypes resistant to diseases and abiotic constrains such as over-wintering ability, frost resistance and drought avoidance, and free of anti-nutritional factors. Priorities for breeding are absence of polyphenolic substances broadly referred to as tannins (which diminish the biological value of the protein), and vicine-convicine responsible for favism in humans and for low egg production in laying hens.

The selection of genotypes carrying the desired genes is greatly facilitated by using molecular markers tightly linked to the desired traits. In this sense, faba bean is a well-characterised plant genetic system, with numerous classical genetic markers, well-developed DNA marker maps and basic tools for genome analysis. Preliminary studies of morphological traits were followed by the establishment of linkage maps based on morphological, isozyme and RFLP markers, seed storage protein genes, microsatellites and RAPD markers that saturated different areas of the genome. Moreover, the first attempts at mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) concerning yield and resistance to pest and diseases have been recently reported.

On-going (or just accepted) projects related to legumes (in 2002) that we are aware of are:

- LINK: Legume Interactive Network (TN) (FAIR-CT98-3923) and its accompanying measure Pulses&health (QLAM-2000-00161) (Coordinator: AEP)

- LEGUMED: Grain legumes in the Mediterranean agriculture (AM) (ICA4-2001-50008) (Coordinator: AEP)

- MEDICAGO: Integrated structural, functional and comparative genomics of the model legume Medicago truncatula. (SCP) (QLG2-CT-2000-00676) (Coordinator: J. Dénarié, INRA-CNRS, France)

- HEALTHYPIGUT: Defining and validating gut health criteria in young pig, based on digestive physiology, microbiology and mucosal immunology investigations for testing alternative strategies to in-feed antibiotics (SCP) (QLK5-LT2000-00522) (Coordinator: J-P. Lallès, INRA, France)

- GL-PRO: European Extension Network for the development of grain legumes in the EU (CA) (CA) (QLRT-2001-02418) (Coordinator: B.Carrouée, UNIP, France)

- INTERCROP: Intercropping of cereals and grain legumes for increased production, weed control, improved product quality and prevention of N-losses in European organic farming systems (SCP) (QLRT-2001-02352) (Coordinator: E.S.Jensen, KVL, Denmark)

- PHASEOLINE: Real digestibility & stimulating effect of phaseolin, bean storage protein, on endogenous secretion in rats (Coordinator: W.B. Souffrant, FBN-Rostock, Germany)

- PROFETAS: Protein Foods, Environment, Technology and Society (Coordinator: T. van Boekel, Wageningen U., The Netherlands)

Working contacts with the coordinators of these projects will be planned