Trait Diversity of Pulse Species Predicts Agroecosystem Properties Trade-Offs.

Crop diversity management in agriculture is a fundamental principle of agroecology and a powerful way to promote resilient and sustainable production systems. Pulses are especially relevant for diversification issues. Yet, the specific diversity of legumes is poorly represented in most cropping systems.

An exploration of the variability of physiological responses to soil drying in relation with C/N balance across three species of the under-utilized genus Vigna.

The genus Vigna (Fabaceae) is an agriculturally important taxon, which includes several crop species such as cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.), mung bean (Vigna radiata) and azuki bean (Vigna angularis). Most studies have focused on cowpea (V.

Evaluation of pulse crops' functional diversity supporting food production.

Pulses, defined as legumes which produce dry seed used for human consumption, are plants of great agronomic value, at the food system level as much as the field level but their diversity has been largely underused. This study aimed at analyzing existing data on cultivated pulse species in the literature to provide a broad and structured description of pulses' interspecific functional diversity. We used a functional trait-based approach to evaluate how pulse diversity could support food production in agroecosystems constrained by low water and nutrient availability and exposed to high weed pressure.