Improving grain legume seeds for future climates

豆类作物对可持续农业和人类膳食蛋白质至关重要，但在未来高二氧化碳和气温升高的情况下，种子质量预计会下降。该项目旨在通过比较鹰嘴豆和其他豆类的代谢产物和生理特性，建立豆类最大限度地分配种子养分的机制，以提高未来气候条件下的豆类种子质量。预期成果包括新的基于代谢物的育种标记，用于改良具有更高种子蛋白质、微量营养素和适应未来气候的生物活性化合物的作物。种子营养改良还将包括增加生物固氮作用，以减少对化学氮肥的需求。

Grain legumes are essential for sustainable agriculture and human dietary protein, but seed quality is predicted to decline under future scenarios of high CO2 and warmer temperatures. This project aims to improve legume seed quality under future climates by comparing metabolites and physiological traits of chickpea and other legumes to establish mechanisms by which legumes maximise seed nutrient allocation. The anticipated outcomes include new metabolite-based breeding markers for the improvement of crops with higher seed proteins, micronutrients and bioactive compounds that are adapted to future climates. Seed nutrient improvement will also include increased biological nitrogen fixation to reduce the need for chemical nitrogen fertilisers.