Articles
GENETIC RESOURCES OF EDIBLE GRAIN LEGUMES IN SERBIA
Article number
830_103
Pages
715 – 718
Language
English
Abstract
Plants from the family Leguminosae, i.e., grain legumes or pulses, have a long history in the nutrition of humans and their domestic animals (Lukicevic, 1902; Lapcevic, 1923; Kitanov, 1986). The most important edible grain legumes species are soybean, dry bean, pea, cowpea and other vignas, lentil, faba bean and grass pea.
These species originate from different parts of the world and their distribution and use is global.
The importance of grain legumes was changeable in the human history, one species replacing and displacing another.
Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and vegetable pea (Pisum sativum L.) have an important place in the agricultural production in Serbia.
Before World War II, the former Yugoslavia had been a major European bean producer, achieving satisfactory average yields (Vulff et al., 1937). Because of the busy trading routes traversing the Balkan Peninsula, the variety of soil and climatic conditions and the existence of many ethnic groups with their different dietary habits, large diversity had developed among the local bean types (Vasic, 2004). In Bulgaria, there is, a secondary domesticated center, as well (Krusteva, 2000).
Only dishes made from dry beans are part of national cuisines of the Serbian now (Prodanovic-Mladenov, 1984). Dishes made from lentils were popular in XIX century (Popovic-Midzina, 1878), and with dishes made from faba bean, in monasteries diet (Milovanovic and Vujaklija, 1996). It is fairly certain that the faba bean (Vicia faba L.) had been known to all Slavonic tribes in their original homeland in Eastern Europe.
Although faba bean has been traditionally grown in Serbia as both fodder and vegetable crop (Radic, 1878), nowadays it is almost forgotten (Vasic et al., 2006). Presently in Serbia, lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) and grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) are neglected crops too (Mihailovic et al., 2006).
In recent years, the introduction of modern cultivars has resulted in the genetic erosion of the species Phaseolus vulgaris L. (Vasic, 2004). This situation, which had occurred in other edible grain legumes too, made clear the importance of collecting domestic populations as valuable genetic material necessary for breeding purposes.
Modern systems for cultivating high-value agricultural products are going back to leguminous plants.
In organic food production, this involves a return to traditional plant and to landraces grown in that climatic region.
Domestic genetic material should be collected, evaluated and compared against modern cultivars.
These species originate from different parts of the world and their distribution and use is global.
The importance of grain legumes was changeable in the human history, one species replacing and displacing another.
Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and vegetable pea (Pisum sativum L.) have an important place in the agricultural production in Serbia.
Before World War II, the former Yugoslavia had been a major European bean producer, achieving satisfactory average yields (Vulff et al., 1937). Because of the busy trading routes traversing the Balkan Peninsula, the variety of soil and climatic conditions and the existence of many ethnic groups with their different dietary habits, large diversity had developed among the local bean types (Vasic, 2004). In Bulgaria, there is, a secondary domesticated center, as well (Krusteva, 2000).
Only dishes made from dry beans are part of national cuisines of the Serbian now (Prodanovic-Mladenov, 1984). Dishes made from lentils were popular in XIX century (Popovic-Midzina, 1878), and with dishes made from faba bean, in monasteries diet (Milovanovic and Vujaklija, 1996). It is fairly certain that the faba bean (Vicia faba L.) had been known to all Slavonic tribes in their original homeland in Eastern Europe.
Although faba bean has been traditionally grown in Serbia as both fodder and vegetable crop (Radic, 1878), nowadays it is almost forgotten (Vasic et al., 2006). Presently in Serbia, lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) and grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) are neglected crops too (Mihailovic et al., 2006).
In recent years, the introduction of modern cultivars has resulted in the genetic erosion of the species Phaseolus vulgaris L. (Vasic, 2004). This situation, which had occurred in other edible grain legumes too, made clear the importance of collecting domestic populations as valuable genetic material necessary for breeding purposes.
Modern systems for cultivating high-value agricultural products are going back to leguminous plants.
In organic food production, this involves a return to traditional plant and to landraces grown in that climatic region.
Domestic genetic material should be collected, evaluated and compared against modern cultivars.
Publication
Authors
M. Vasić, V. Mihailović, A. Mikić, D. Mladenović, J. Gvozdanović Varga, D. Jovićević, Z. Nikolić
Keywords
genetic resources, edible legumes, Serbia
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