Legumes are essential to healthy agroecosystems, with a rich phytochemical content that impacts overall human and animal well-being and environmental sustainability. While these phytochemicals can have both positive and negative effects, legumes have traditionally been bred to produce genotypes with lower levels of certain plant phytochemicals, specifically those commonly termed as 'antifeedants' including phenolic compounds, saponins, alkaloids, tannins, and raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs). However, when incorporated into a balanced diet, such legume phytochemicals can offer health benefits for both humans and animals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Legumes can fix atmospheric nitrogen (N) and facilitate N availability to their companion plants in crop mixtures. However, biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) of legumes in intercrops varies largely with the identity of the legume species. The aim of our study was to understand whether BNF and concentration of plant nutrients by common bean is influenced by the identity of the companion plant species in crop mixtures.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study aims to explore the possibility of a reduced application of inorganic nitrogen (N) fertiliser on the yield, yield qualities, and biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) of the hydroponic common bean ( L.), without compromising plant performance, by utilizing the inherent ability of this plant to symbiotically fix N. Until the flowering stage, plants were supplied with a nutrient solution containing N-concentrations of either a, 100%, conventional standard-practice, 13.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe aim of the current study wat to comparatively assess the impact of different nitrogen (N) fertilization schemes on fresh pod yield and yield quality in either organically or conventionally grown common beans ( L.). Prior to common bean crop establishment, the experimental field site was cultivated following either organic (a) or conventional (b) farming practices with a winter non-legume crop ( var.
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