Researchers from SCRI have joined with their counterparts in 12 other EU countries in a consortium seeking better ways to use legume crops. The Legume Futures programme will be launched in Edinburgh on 16 March 2010.

The three-year long €4 million programme will be coordinated by SAC, who along with SCRI will fulfill the UK commitment to the project funded under the EU framework.

Dr Pietro Iannetta of the Environment Plant Interactions programme at SCRI will lead a work package on data management and novel system design, including a website www.legumefutures.eu and an online database for exchange of information between researchers.

Legumes are plants like clover, peas and beans which, as well as producing their own crop, also fix nitrogen from the air and make it available for plant growth.

Farming in Europe is not making the most of what legumes can offer. As they are very different from crops like cereals they can be used in rotations to interrupt the build up of disease. Legumes can also replace animal feed or fibre crops imported from elsewhere in the world.

They may even have a function as energy crops and their nitrogen fixing capability gives them an additional role in reducing emissions of greenhouse gases like nitrous oxide.

The aim of the research is to identify the best way to use legumes in each of Europe's climatic zones, identify the most suitable crop and design a cropping system that reduces farming's environmental impact.

The programme will bring together data from a network of 18 case studies in 12 countries across Europe. In addition to studying the plants and crop systems themselves, they will consider the impact on farmers, small businesses and policy makers.

The consortium will make use of innovative ways of gathering and disseminating the knowledge gained, including on-farm demonstrations and the publication of a book on growing legumes.

More information from:

Phil Taylor, Head of Communications, SCRI, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA. Tel: 01382 560044 (direct line), Mobile: 07810 860 701 or

Lorraine Wakefield, Information and Online Service Officer, SCRI, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA. Tel: 01382 560047 (direct line) or 562731 (switchboard).