Developing pest- and disease-resistant cultivars of grain legumes

Publication date: 12/03/2018
Extent: 22 pages

Contributions by: Diego Rubiales, Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Spain

Chapter synopsis: Average yields of most grain legumes are still relatively low due to limited adaptability of available cultivars to a broad range of environmental conditions, and susceptibility to pests and diseases. This chapter explores current knowledge of pest- and disease-resistant cultivars of a variety of grain legume crops, including faba beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas, grass peas and common beans. The chapter considers cultivars less susceptible to foliar diseases incited either by biotrophic or necrotrophic pathogens, soil-borne diseases, as well as nematodes, bacteria, insect pests and parasitic weeds. Finally, the chapter looks ahead to future research trends in this area and provides extensive further reading on the subject.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2017.0023.05