The importance of legume crops in global agricultural systems is inevitable; conversely, less than 4% of European agricultural lands are dedicated for these plants. Besides total loss of biodiversity, agrobiodiversity is also in danger. The production of legumes diversifies arable plant production and supports the nutrient management of the agroecosystem, as well as that of the whole ecosystem. Increasing soybean production area means that other pulses are grown on smaller areas, that means a reduced resiliency of the whole production system. Expanding environmental stresses of climate change and intensive agricultural practices are easier to counteract with help of diversity on species and on genetic level as well. As a consequence of climate change and targeted breeding of the last decade, agricultural lands appropriate for soybean production shows an increase in Europe. The self-sufficiency rates of the European Union concerning single protein sources shows fluctuations. The easier utilization of soy-based products as forage displaces the use of other pulses, which are traditionally produced as protein crops. Besides protein flow, these leguminous plants have an important role in different levels of agricultural systems as well. Several recent initiatives aim to reduce the serious protein exposure of the EU. These programs, beyond the introduction and technological development of soybean production, always mention the strengthening of the role of other pulses. In this study, the last decades of EU pulse utilization were analyzed, using crop yield, crop harvested area, certified seed yield, seed production area, number of registered varieties, and the number of scientific publications as indicators to summarize trends of EU field bean, field pea, lupin, chickpea, lentil, and soybean production in the view of targeted protein initiatives.

Plant genetic resources (PGRs) serving as a wide genetic pool of tomato germplasm can provide a solid base for recent breeding efforts to increase consumer acceptance towards the taste and the phytonutrient properties of novel tomato varieties. Old varieties and landraces were abandoned by producers due to unfavorable phenotypic characteristics; however, their high adaptability and nutritional properties are inevitably valuable. This study aims to investigate the impact of open-field vs. protected production on various bioactive compound parameters and on the antioxidant status of seven indeterminate-type tomato PGRs in an organic production system for two years (2015–2016). Genotype main effect plus genotype × environment interaction (GGE) biplots were created for visualizing the which-won-where concept of the PGRs investigated. The GGE analysis revealed that the phytonutrient content of certain PGRs is less dependent on location and more influenced by differences in microclimatic conditions. “Balatonboglár”, “Mátrafüred” and “Fadd” PGRs performed better in a polytunnel, while Tarnaméra provided better results in an open field. “Máriapócs” and “San Marzano” showed a relative independence from production location in terms of their measured phytonutrient values. These findings enrich the nutritional datasets of tomato landraces, which support the in situ conservation and utilization of PGRs in breeding programs.

Ever-growing cities constantly increase the distance between suburban regions and semi-urban areas on the perimeter of the cities, where traditional crop production can take place with relatively fewer restrictions. The implementation of ultra-short supply chains implies moving the means of crop production as close to inhabitants as possible. Two main directions can be identified as effective for increasing the food resilience of densely populated suburban areas; these are soil-based traditional urban agriculture and high-tech plant factories. Both approaches to crop production offer a certain level of integration with the built environment; however, these alternatives differ in terms of their contributions to environment modulation, agrobiodiversity, social well-being, and food resilience. Vertical farms can produce a high amount of nutritionally rich crops for direct use, although the involvement of inhabitants is minimal; therefore, they can be considered a service function without social advantages. Open-field plant production can contribute to the well-being of locals, but the yields are considered rather supplementary. The combination of both production approaches to strengthen common advantages is less likely; automated production technologies require a low number of highly qualified personnel; therefore, community plant factories cannot be considered possible contributors to urban social well-being in the future.