The use of Greek fodder legume varieties for a sustainable, low-input cropping system

Maria Gerakari

PhD candidate student at the Agricultural University of Athens

7 min read
The use of Greek fodder legume varieties for a sustainable, low-input cropping system

Co-authors: Sotiria Vouraki, Athanasios Ragkos, Eleni Abraham, Eleni Tani

Does it worth investing in legumes?

Legumes belong to the Fabaceae family, which is one of the biggest families in the Plantae kingdom as they consist of a large number of species, about 19, 500 (Mekky, 2020, Lewis, 2005, Chakraverty et al., 2013) that are annual or perennial, herbaceous, shrubby or arboreal creeping or climbing. Annual and perennial legumes are grown in Greece. Most species have a stalked root system, and usually, tubercles are formed  as a result of the coexistence of legumes with nitrogen bacteria at the rhizosphere. That characteristic is one of the most important advantages of legume crops, as they have the ability, due to these tubercules, to bind atmospheric nitrogen and convert it into usable forms for plants while enriching the soil and thus reducing the use of fertilizers and the carbon footprint when inserted into appropriate crop-rotation systems, contributing significantly to the exploitation of the benefits of low-input farming.

Legumes species like vetch, bean, pea, chickpea and lupine can replace soy in animal nutrition. The dependence on soybeans implies an increased need for imports leading to an increased production cost. Additionally, 94% of world soybean production comes from Genetically Modified Varieties (GMOs), which restricts its use in farming or animals’ breeding systems with conventional integrated management or biological approach. From that perspective, alternative legume species can be a sustainable alternative both for human and animal nutrition.

Why we studied local fodder legume varieties for animals’ nutrition?

Ιn the context of a research program in Greece, “Legumes4Protein”, we carried out a number of field experiments in order to estimate the importance of legume’s local varieties exploitation for animals’ nutrition under low input cropping systems. The use of local varieties or populations of legumes that are well adapted to soil-climatic conditions of our country, was expected to maximize the yield of feed units, ensuring reduction of production costs, immediate availability, farmers interaction, and breeders with possible development of a standard model of certified production of new operating systems products.

What have we done?

Evaluation and breeding of genetic material

  • Collection, evaluation, and breeding steps of lupine's genetic material (Lupinus albus)
  • Genetic breeding of grain legumes for yield & quality
  • Characterization of genetic material using molecular markers in terms of its qualitative characteristics and resistance to biotic stress factors
  • Transcriptional and metabolic analysis of the genetic material for the above characteristics
  • Study of epigenetic changes in genes related to fruit quality

Evaluation of the potential of production and adaptability of commercial varieties and advanced lines

Inter-site evaluation of genetic material of protein plant species for yield and quality

  • Adaptability to abiotic stress factors. Nutritional Value Assessment
  • Determination of nutritional traits (crude protein, cell wall content)
  • Determination of anti-nutritional traits

Pilot field trials and sustainable solutions to expand the cultivation of the “high-protein value” legume crops.

Field trials focused on the most promising varieties, regarding their agronomical traits, one of Pisum sativum and one of Vicia faba species tested (Figure 1), studying their productivity and competitiveness against weeds in preliminary field trial, determining their dry biomass and pods’ yield as well. Evaluating these genotypes, focused on their competitiveness against weeds, it is targeted to reveal well-adaptive characteristics and exploit them in future breeding experiments, creating new varieties with both favorable agronomic characteristics and good adaptability in biotic stress factors, like weeds.

Figure 1. Pea (A) and faba bean (B) field trial testing weed competition.

The use of Greek fodder legume varieties for a sustainable, low-input cropping system

The most used varieties of Lupinus albus, Pisum sativum, Vicia faba, and Vicia sativa were cultivated in pilot fields by producers in Larisa, Greece, and were evaluated for their productivity and seed quality.

A questionnaire survey of farms that cultivate legumes for livestock was also launched. The survey recorded data regarding the variable expenses of farms, capital endowments, land uses, and labor requirements from a sample of over 40 farmers in Thessaly, Central Greece. Based on these data, two types of analysis were undertaken. First, a comparative technical and economic analysis demonstrated the differences among three crop farm types (small, medium, and large), for which legumes for livestock accounted for different levels of importance in terms of their contribution to economic performance. For small farms, legumes were less important and cultivated primarily as part of rotations, while cotton was the main product. As size increased, however, cotton was still important, but legumes were also cultivated as sources of income and not only as rotations. This demonstrates how larger farms have better outlets to markets for legumes, which are not as developed as markets for other crops in the area (e.g. cotton and cereal). Second, a parametric

programming model was developed to predict how these farm types and the production system, in general, would respond to external changes, such as differences in prices and the availability of capital and labor. Evaluation of animal nutrition products

Legumes are feedstuffs with high nutritional value that could potentially substitute or replace soybean in ruminant nutrition. The objective of the Legumes4Protein project was to assess the use of legume grains as alternatives to soybean in the diet of dairy ewes. An experimental study was performed to investigate whether replacing soybean with a mixture of lupin, pea, vetch, and faba bean could affect milk production, body condition score (BCS) and feed efficiency of intensively reared dairy ewes. The study was conducted in the facilities of the Veterinary Faculty of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Briefly, 40 Chios dairy ewes were used that were allocated in two (n=20) groups (control C and treatment T, Figure 2). The animals were fed a pelleted concentrate feed together with Lucerne Hay and wheat straw (1.5, 1.5, and 0.3 kg/animal/day, respectively). Group C received a conventional concentrate feed with soybean. Group T received a concentrate feed of equal energy and protein content in which soybean had been replaced with 500 grams of the studied mixture of legumes (lupin, pea, common vetch, and faba bean). Data collection was performed every 15 days for a 60-day period. Feed refusals (Figure 3) from each group were collected and weighted. The BCS of each ewe was assessed. The milk yield of individual ewes was recorded electronically (Figure 4), and milk samples were collected to evaluate their quality (fat, protein, lactose, solids-non-fat content). Results showed that replacing soybean with a mixture of the studied legumes is not expected to adversely affect milk quantity and quality and BCS of dairy ewes. Moreover, ewes receiving a concentrated feed with legumes were found to utilize energy intake more efficiently. Such results indicate that legume grains could be used in dairy sheep nutrition without compromising performance. This could contribute both to economic efficiency and environmental sustainability of the sector.

The use of Greek fodder legume varieties for a sustainable, low-input cropping system

Figure 2. Group housing of ewes per experimental group

 

The use of Greek fodder legume varieties for a sustainable, low-input cropping system

Figure 3. Collection and separation of Lucerne Hay and pellet refusals.

 

The use of Greek fodder legume varieties for a sustainable, low-input cropping system

Figure 4. Electronic milk yield recording.

Regarding the aspect of socioeconomic data analysis, various scenarios were developed and investigated in terms of the valorization of legumes for livestock in animal diets. In particular, we considered the substitution of soybean by such legumes in rations that were provided to intensively reared Chios sheep. For the sake of the analysis, we constructed the profile of three indicative Chios sheep farm types (small, medium and large) and performed a comparative technical and economic analysis. Then, we developed a mathematical programming model by means of which we investigated the optimal organization of the three farm types by allowing either the inclusion of soymeal only in rations or the inclusion of soymeal and legumes for livestock. The results demonstrated that for all three farm types, legumes for livestock were the preferred source of protein in all optimal solutions (i.e. for the solutions for small, medium, and large farms), while this inclusion led to savings of 3-7% for farms compared to optimal organization of farms when only the use of soymeal was allowed.

What’s the outcome?

  • Recording (list and database) the production capacity and the adaptability of the examined fodder legume varieties in relation to the environment and their crop management system.
  • Development of a model guide for cultivating and managing plant species and local varieties of fodder legumes.
  • Molecular identification of the genetic (DNA profile) fingerprint of the studied legume species and varieties.
  • Characterization of the tested plant species and varieties in terms of their nutritional value based on the metabolic footprint related to the content of antioxidant factors.
  • Evaluation of the nutritional value of local varieties compared to commercial ones.
  • Suggestions for the use and composition of diets related to the quality of milk produced.
  • A comprehensive plan has been developed for the cultivation of fodder legumes in the context of alternative production systems in conjunction with the prospects of sheep farming.

Commercial exploitation and direct benefit for all stakeholders involved

The results and outputs of “Legumes4Protein” can be applied to find uses in many areas of agro-economic activity. The developed seed, as well as pellet diets, were directly used by partners of the project from the industry-private sector. There are significant economic development prospects for the program's main beneficiaries, animal-breeders. The configuration and the improvement of fodder legumes-based diets will help reduce production costs of farms to the extent that they will lead to the same or even better-quality product and milk production quantity. These diets can be standardized for holistic management of sheep farms. An additional financial benefit there is also for farmers since in Greece, with the legislation implemented to date, it is provided income support for legumes cultivation. Financial benefits can be achieved at the national level too, as the expansion of grain legume crops may reduce imports of protein feed, in particular soybeans, with a direct economic benefit for both livestock units and the national economy in general.

"This work was supported by research program “Legumes”-Actions for sustainable development and utilization for feed (Legumes 4protein), funded by EU."

Maria Gerakari
PhD candidate student at the Agricultural University of Athens

More from Maria Gerakari

View more articles