Drive to boost EU pea and bean production

THE acreage of peas, beans and other leguminous crops grown in Europe has declined significantly over the past ten years. However, a group of researchers from a dozen countries will today sign up to co-ordinate scientific work to reverse that trend.

Dr Bob Rees, from the Scottish Agricultural College, Edinburgh, said the group would share research findings to identify solutions to environmental and socio-economic problems.

The scientists believe that farming in Europe is not making the most of what legumes can offer. As they are very different from crops such as cereals, they can be used in rotations to break up any build-up of disease.

Researchers believe they may even have a function as energy crops and this nitrogen fixing capability gives them a role in reducing emissions of greenhouse gases such as nitrous oxide.

"We need to identify the best way to use legumes in each of Europe's climatic zones," said Rees. "Identify the most suitable crop and design a cropping system that reduces farming's environmental impact."

Donal Murphy-Bokern, an independent researcher based in Germany pointed, out that Europe was now one of the largest importers of animal proteins and one way to reduce this trade was to improve production within member states

Bokern said: "There has been plenty of research on improving the husbandry and breeding of legumes. Now it is time to bring this all together and see how it fits in with the needs and demands of the present day. One easy example of reducing the carbon footprint for Europe would be to increase the production of peas and beans, as this would cut out the imports of soya from all over the world."

Europe does produce some soya, but this is limited to Romania and Italy and he hoped this acreage would increase. But the main hope for increasing legume production would be in growing a bigger acreage of peas and beans.

In addition, the incorporation of more clover in grass-seed mixes might reduce reliance on artificial fertilisers. Rees pointed out that before the arrival of artificial fertilisers, legumes played a major role in maintaining fertility on Scottish farms.

As far back as the 16th century, tenant farmers were required by landlords to put some of the land into the growing of beans and peas. The reason for this clause in the lease was that they kept the land in good heart and the following crops benefited.

"There is currently a massive trade in artificial fertilisers but, in the future, we will increasingly be looking for local solutions," he said. These would include answers on some of the husbandry issues that have contributed to the decline of pea and bean growing.

The three-year programme will bring together about 4 million of research working from 18 case studies. The Scottish Crop Research Institute at Invergowrie will provide an online database for exchange of information.