Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus) seed ionome traits: implications for daily values and biofortification

The ionome, the elemental composition of ion traits in a biological system, is critically important for seed nutritional value. Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus) is an underutilized legume crop for both tropical and temperate climates and is rich in protein and minerals. In this study, we analyzed the seed ionome of 53 diverse lima bean accessions via inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Moreover, we evaluated percent daily values (% DV) based on US FDA recommendations. We found that a 100 g serving of lima beans provides 100% manganese, 66% copper, 50% magnesium, 44% potassium, 36% iron, 35% phosphorus, 25% zinc, and 3.8% calcium for U.S. nutrient recommendations. There were correlations observed between nitrogen and sulfur (R2 = 0.78), calcium and sulfur (R2 = 0.64), nitrogen and manganese (R2 = 0.55), and zinc and iron (R2 = 0.52) that suggest an interrelationship among various mineral nutrients. Our study identified a set of 10 superior lima bean accessions that could complement lima bean breeding and development applications for nutritional composition. In conclusion, there is a substantial variation in seed macro- and micronutrients among lima bean accessions, and these results will provide additional resources to help global food security, combat hidden hunger, and promote sustainable agriculture worldwide. Together, these new findings give valuable insights into lima bean ionome and future nutritional aspect targets and strategies.