Legumes are well recognized for their nutritional and health benefits as well as for their impact in the sustainability of agricultural systems. The threatening scenario imposed by climate change highlights the need for concerted research approaches in order to develop crops that are able to cope with environmental stresses, while increasing yield and quality. During the last decade, some physiological components and molecular players underlying abiotic stress responses of a broad range of legume species have been elucidated. Plant physiology approaches provided general outlines of plant responses, identifying stress tolerance-related traits or elite cultivars. A thorough identification of candidate genes and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with these traits followed. Model legumes like Medicago truncatula, Lotus japonicus, and more recently, Glycine max provided valuable translational approaches for dissecting legume responses to abiotic stresses. The challenge now focuses on the translation of the information gained in model systems in controlled environments to crops grown under field conditions. In this review, we provide a general overview of the recent achievements on the study of abiotic stress responses in a broad range of model, grain and forage legumes species, highlighting the different approaches used. Major accomplishments, as well as limitations or drawbacks are discussed across the different sections. Some perspectives regarding new approaches for screening, breeding or engineering legumes with desirable abiotic stress resistance traits are anticipated. These advances will support the development of legumes better adapted to environmental constraints, tackling current demands on modern agriculture and food production presently exacerbated by global climate changes.

In the context of seed technology, the use of physical methods for increasing plant production offers advantages over conventional treatments based on chemical substances. The effects of physical vigourization treatments in seeds can be now addressed at multiple levels, ranging from morpho-structural aspects to changes in gene expression and protein or metabolite accumulation. Among the physical methods available, ”magneto-priming” and irradiation with microwaves or ionizing radiations are the most promissory pre-sowing seed treatments. ”Magneto-priming” is based on the application of magnetic fields and described as an eco-friendly, cheap, non-invasive technique with proved beneficial effects on seed germination, vigour and crop yield. Ionizing radiations, as gamma-rays and X-rays, have been widely regarded as a powerful tool in agricultural sciences and food technology. Gamma-rays delivered at low dose have showed to enhance germination percentage and seedling establishment, acting as an actual ‘priming’ treatment. Different biological effects have been observed in seeds subjected to microwaves and X-rays but knowledge about their impact as seed vigourization agent or stimulatory effects on germination need to be further extended. Ultraviolet (UV) radiations, namely UV-A and UV-C have shown to stimulate positive impacts on seed health, germination and seedling vigour. For all mentioned physical treatments, extensive fundamental and applied research is still needed to define the optimal dose, exposition time, genotype- and environment-dependent irradiation conditions. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) has an enormous potential in seed technology not fully explored to monitor seed vigourization treatments and/or identifying the best suitable irradiation dose or time-point to stop the treatment. The present manuscript describes the use of physical methods for seed vigourization, while providing a critical discussion on the constraints and advantages. The future perspectives related to the use of these approaches to address the need of seed technologists, producers and trade markers will be also highlighted.

Legumes are among the most important crops worldwide for human and animal consumption. However, yield inconsistency due to susceptibility to pests and diseases strongly affects its production. Among diseases affecting legumes, Fusarium wilt caused by the soil-borne pathogen Fusarium oxysporum Schltdl. (Fo) is one of the major factors limiting production worldwide. This disease can cause total losses in highly infested fields of some legume species. To minimize yield losses, integrated disease management strategies combining different agronomic practices with the use of resistant varieties should be applied. Although often characterized by a high degree of host specificity, with formae speciales (ff. spp.) and races identified, some Fo ff. spp. can have a broader host range, infecting more than one species, requiring further investigation. In this review, we describe the state of the art on legume Fusarium wilt management achievements, highlighting different aspects such as the use of rhizosphere microbiota as biocontrol agents, crop rotation and the use of resistant varieties. The different methods of identification and characterization of resistance sources, mechanisms as well as the genetic basis of resistance or the development of molecular tools to support legume precision breeding for Fo resistance are discussed.