Pulses are edible seeds of plants belonging to the legume family, which are of great importance for human and animal nutrition. In this study, several nutrients, antinutrients and bioactive compounds were quantified in the seeds of ten pulses, i.e., common and runner beans, field peas, lupins (white, blue and yellow), faba beans, lentils (brown and red) and chickpeas. Homogenised, air-dried seed samples were analysed for various parameters: protein (18.0–43.1%), fat (0.6–18.5%) and phytic acid content (507–2566 mg/100 g dry weight (DW)), phenolic profile (27 phenolic compounds in total) and multi-mineral composition. The analysed phenolic compounds mainly belong to phenolic acids (hydroxybenzoic acids and hydroxycinnamic acids) and/or flavonoids (flavones, flavonols and flavanols). Total phenolic content (TPC) ranged from 719 μg/g DW in chickpeas to 5012 μg/g DW in common beans. A total of ten elements belonging to macro- (Mg, P, S, K and Ca) and micro-minerals (Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn and Mo) were determined. Using cluster analysis, pulses were divided into three groups according to the parameters studied: 1. common and runner bean; 2. field pea, white and blue lupin, faba bean, red and brown lentil and chickpea; and 3. yellow lupin. The most varying phytochemicals in terms of their content in the analysed pulses were phytic acid, quinic acid, catechin and TPC. A perfect positive significant Pearson correlation (1.00) was observed for six pairs of variables within the group of phenolic compounds.

Background: Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the most important food legume for direct human consumption around the world, as it represents a valuable source of components with nutritional and health benefits. Results: We conducted a study to define and explain the genetic relatedness and diversification level of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) germplasm from Portugal to Ukraine, along a western-to-eastern line of southern European countries, including Poland. This was based on the P. vulgaris genetic structure, and was designed to better describe its distribution and domestication pathways in Europe. Using the multi-crop passport descriptors that include geographic origin and different phaseolin types (corresponding to the Mesoamerican and Andean gene pools), 782 accessions were obtained from nine gene banks and 12 geographic origins. We selected 33 genome/ gene-related/ gene-pool-related nuclear simple sequence repeat markers that covered the genetic diversity across the P. vulgaris genome. The overall polymorphic information content was 0.800. Without specifying geographic origin, global structure cluster analysis generated 10 genetic clusters. Among the PvSHP1 markers, the most informative for gene pool assignment of the European P. vulgaris germplasm was PvSHP1-B. Results of AMOVA show that 89% of the molecular variability is shared within the 782 accessions, with 4% molecular variability among the different geographic origins along this western-to-eastern line of southern Europe (including Poland). Conclusions: This study shows that the diversification line of the European P. vulgaris germplasm followed from the western areas of southern Europe (Portugal, Spain, Italy, Slovenia) to the more eastern areas of southern Europe. This progression defines three geographically separated subgroups, as the northern (Poland, Ukraine, Romania), southern (Albania, Bulgaria), and central (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Hungary) areas of eastern Europe.

Understanding the genetic background of drought tolerance in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) can aid its resilience improvement. However, drought response studies in large seeded genotypes of Andean origin are insufficient. Here, a novel Andean intra-gene pool genetic linkage map was created for quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping of drought-responsive traits in a recombinant inbred line population from a cross of two cultivars differing in their response to drought. Single environment and QTL × environment analysis revealed 49 QTLs for physiology, phenology, and yield-associated traits under control and/or drought conditions. Notable QTLs for days to flowering (Df1.1 and Df 1.2) were co-localized with a putative QTL for days to pods (Dp1.1) on linkage group 1, suggesting pleiotropy for genes controlling them. QTLs with stable effects for number of seeds per pod (Sp2.1) in both seasons and putative water potential QTLs (Wp1.1, Wp5.1) were detected. Detected QTLs were validated by projection on common bean consensus linkage map. Drought response-associated QTLs identified in the novel Andean recombinant inbred line (RIL) population confirmed the potential of Andean germplasm in improving drought tolerance in common bean. Yield-associated QTLs Syp1.1, Syp1.2, and Sp2.1 in particular could be useful for marker-assisted selection for higher yield of Andean common beans.

Barley, oats, or spelt consumed as minimally processed whole grains provide several health benefits, especially when grown under organic field management conditions. Therefore, the effects of organic and conventional farming on the compositional traits (protein, fibre, fat, and ash) of barley, oat, and spelt grains and groats were compared using three winter barley varieties (‘Anemone’, ‘BC Favorit’, and ‘Sandra’), two spring oat varieties (‘Max’ and ‘Noni’), and three spelt varieties (‘Ebners Rotkorn’, ‘Murska bela’, and ‘Ostro’). Groats were produced from harvested grains by a combination of threshing, winnowing, and brushing/polishing. Multitrait analysis showed significant differences between species, field management practices, and fractions, with clear compositional differences between organic and conventional spelt. Barley and oat groats had a higher thousand kernel weight (TKW) and β-glucan, but lower crude fibre, fat, and ash contents than the grains. The composition of the grains of the different species differed significantly for more traits (TKW, fibre, fat, ash, and β-glucan) than that of the groats (TKW and fat), while field management only affected the fibre content of the groats and the TKW, ash, and β-glucan contents of the grains. The TKW, protein, and fat contents of the different species differed significantly under both conventional and organic growing conditions, while the TKW and fibre contents of grains and groats differed under both systems. The caloric value of the final products of barley, oats, and spelt groats ranged from 334–358 kcal/100 g. This information will be useful for not only the processing industry, but also for breeders and farmers, and last, but not least, for consumers.

Characterisation of genetic diversity is critical to adequately exploit the potential of germplasm collections and identify important traits for breeding programs and sustainable crop improvement. Here, we characterised the phenotypic and genetic diversity of a global collection of the two cultivated buckwheat species Fagopyrum esculentum and Fagopyrum tataricum (190 and 51 accessions, respectively) using 37 agro-morphological traits and 24 SSR markers. A wide range of variation was observed in both species for most of the traits analysed. The two species differed significantly in most traits, with traits related to seeds and flowering contributing most to differentiation. The accessions of each species were divided into three major phenoclusters with no clear geographic clustering. At the molecular level, the polymorphic SSR markers were highly informative, with an average polymorphic information content (PIC) of over 0.65 in both species. Genetic diversity, as determined by Nei’s expected heterozygosity (He), was high (He = 0.77 and He = 0.66, respectively) and differed significantly between species (p = 0.03) but was homogeneously distributed between regions, confirming the lack of genetic structure as determined by clustering approaches. The weak genetic structure revealed by the phenotypic and SSR data and the low fixation indices in both species suggested frequent seed exchange and extensive cultivation and selection. In addition, 93 and 140 significant (p < 0.05) marker-trait associations (MTAs) were identified in both species using a general linear model and a mixed linear model, most of which explained >20% of the phenotypic variation in associated traits. Core collections of 23 and 13 phenotypically and genetically diverse accessions, respectively, were developed for F. esculentum and F. tataricum. Overall, the data analysed provided deep insights into the agro-morphological and genetic diversity and genetic relationships among F. esculentum and F. tataricum accessions and pointed to future directions for genomics-based breeding programs and germplasm management.