Exploring the Genetic Diversity of Pulse Crops for Improving Seed Quality for Human Consumption

Abstract Pulse crops already serve as staple foods in many parts of the world but will serve an even greater role in the transition from animal-based to plant-based diets that are needed to mitigate environmental impacts contributing to climate change. Despite domestication practices on pulse crops over millennia, many detrimental seed-quality factors persist, such as antinutritional factors and cooking defects, which can limit their use in human consumption. Pulse crops are vulnerable to insect and microorganism attacks when growing in the field, which can reduce both seed quality and yield. Therefore, breeding new cultivars without these detrimental traits can facilitate the shift towards plant-based diets improving sustainability and food security on a global scale. The genetic diversity present in landraces and crop wild relatives of pulse crops can serve as a valuable resource for identifying the underlying causes of these non-desired traits. Tapping into this diversity is possible with the use of germplasm collections for pre-breeding purposes. This case covers what germplasm collections are and what role genebanks play for providing material for breeding, how pre-breeding can help breeders to define target traits and make informed decisions, and what molecular techniques are available for breeding new improved cultivars once markers for the traits have been identified. Soybean is the dominant pulse crop today on the global market and there is a need for diversification of breeding and cultivation of pulses. The focus of this case is on three pulse crops with high potential for increased cultivation and use in food in Europe: pea, lupin and faba bean. Information © The Authors 2025.