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Commercial Success of ECLAIR Programme
AGRE-0048: To increase the use of Pisum and other grain legumes by improving the composition and nutritional value of the seed by genetic and processing techniques |
Science Background
In general, grain legumes contain higher proportions of protein than cereals and other forage crops. However, the most widely grown grain legume (soya) used in feed does not grow well in Europe at higher latitudes. Other legumes, such as peas and beans are grown in these regions as vegetables for human consumption and animal feed but, at the time of this project, there was insufficient knowledge concerning their nutritive and commercial value as animal feed.
Objectives
The project, coordinated by UNIP (France), aimed to increase knowledge of pea (and some other grain legumes) composition and their nutritional value in monogastric animals by creating a database of results of analysis covering both the standard techniques used in the animal feed industry and additional information characterizing various components. This information would then be correlated with nutritional studies and used to develop a better understanding of the biological mechanisms.
Significant changes and results since end of ECLAIR
Some research took place in the UK in 1997/98 related to the incorporation of home grown legume seed in animal feed. Both shared cost legume research and a thematic network have been funded under the FAIR programme.
Results
At end of this ECLAIR project
This project resulted in several databases that provided detailed information on the composition and feed (nutritional) value of a wide range of pea varieties, as well as some varieties of lupins and faba beans. This data could be used as a basis for improving analytical methods to give greater homogeneity in feed and increase understanding of the impact of various factors on nutritional value. This information could also be used to breed improved varieties. In addition, some progress was made in improving processing technologies.
Current position
At the end of the project, UNIP and ICTF produced a book, Peas, utilisation in animal feeding, based on the results. This is available from UNIP in French, Spanish and English. The John Innes Centre participated in a UK project on The structure and synthesis of carbohydrates in legume seeds, that ended in April 1998. Other activities, or further related research by participants was not identified.
Impact
Commercial
To the knowledge of the participant from the John Innes Centre (UK), the results of the project have not been commercialized. However, it is possible that the animal feed industry now include greater proportions of home grown legumes in their products. In general, grain legumes are not considered to be important crops in Europe and particularly the UK, where substantial amounts of soya and maize are imported from USA and South America. This is due to considerations related to trade agreements and economics where feed formulators use least-cost recipes. With the current media interest in genetically modified organisms (GMOs), leading to political decisions on labelling and customer resistance to GMOs in some Member States, the need for alternatives to imported ingredients may change the situation.
In France, the information gained by this work has been partially integrated into the animal feed industry, which is now familiar with this raw material. However, in the UK and Denmark, the results have not been exploited by the feed industry. This may be reflect insufficient effort to disseminate the results. In 1999, a survey was carried out, as part of the LINK project (see below) to establish the requirements of the European industry that will result in greater use of legumes in each of the countries involved.
Associated
The concerted action AIR3-CT94-2224: Coordination for join approach on grain legume transformation (methods and objectives) to develop commercial applications (TRANSLEG), coordinated by University of Hannover (Germany), organised workshops and exchange of students with the objectives of:
This led to a shared cost project PRELEG developed according to the needs of the legume breeders present in TRANSLEG through close cooperation with the partners. FAIR3-CT96-1529: Pathogen resistant grain legumes using gene transfer methods (PRELEG), was coordinated by SCRI (UK), a participant in AIR3-CT94-2224. The aim is to use transgene construct available to partners to improve the resistance of grain legumes against fungal pathogens, including Ascochyta, control of which was the aim of another ECLAIR project – AGRE-0051.
Two other projects on legumes have been funded under the FAIR programme. The first, FAIR5-CT98-3527: Exploitation of the unique genetic variability of peas in the production of food and non-food ingredients, involved the John Innes Centre. This project focuses on the relationship between composition (genetics) and functional properties of the different fractions. The second was a thematic network FAIR5-CT98-3923: LINK (legume interactive network) a strong multidisciplinary scientific network for the benefit of grain legume integrated chain to meet the protein demand of the European end-use industry, which included some of the original ECLAIR participants.
Contacts
ATO-DLO
Author
John Innes Centre
SCRI
UNIP
University of Hannover
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Updated
by CPL Press:
03/07/2007
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