The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. ) is the most important pulse crop in the world. It is an important source of calories, proteins, dietary fibers, minerals, and vitamins for millions of people in both developing and developed countries worldwide. It complements cereals and other carbohydrate-rich foods in providing near-perfect nutrition to people of all ages. Moreover, a regular intake ofbeans helps lower cholesterol and cancer risks. Despite the fact that per capita consumption of common bean in some developed countries (e. g. , the U. S. A. ) has been increasing over the last several years, in general, the average global per capita consumption is declining because production is unable to keep up with the population growth. Moreover, increasing demand for pesticide-free food products, concern for natural resources conservation, and the need to reduce production costs offer daunting challenges to the twenty-first century policy makers, bean growers, and researchers alike. High yielding, high quality bean cultivars that require less water, fertilizers, pesticides, and manual labor combined with integrated management of abiotic and biotic stresses will have to be developed. Eminent bean researchers were invited to contemplate these issues, prepare a state-of-the-art account on most relevant topics, and offer their insight into research directions into the twenty-first century. Four excellent books have been published covering various aspects ofthe common bean since 1980. These books are: I) Bean Production Problems nd in the Tropics (l SI ed. 1980, 2 ed. 1989), H. F. Schwartz & M. A.

This book is a first attempt to link well-known plant resistance phenomena with emerging concepts in molecular biology. Resistance phenomena such as the local lesion response, induced resistance, "green islands" and resistance in various crop plants are linked with new information on gene-silencing mechanisms, gene silencing suppressors, movement proteins and plasmodesmatal gating, downstream signalling components, and more.

Oilseeds and legumes provide a significant proportion of the protein and energy requirements of the world population. This important new book provides comprehensive details of the main oil seed and legume crops focusing particularly on the nutritional aspects of these crops which are, or have the potential to be, more widely exploited in developing countries where are or have the potential to be, more widely exploited in developing countries where protein and energy malnutrition continue to escalate. The predicted rapid rise of populations in many world regions which are increasingly vulnerable to food shortages means that a full knowledge of the nutritional significance of available crops is vital in helping to prevent potential calamities. Food and Feed from Legumes and Oil Seeds has been written by a team of international contributors, each with direct experience of these important crops and their nutritional merits, and the editors are both international experts in the crops covered. This book will become of great value to nutritionists, food and feed scientists and technologists, agricultural scientists and all those involved with overseas developments and food aid organizations.

The common beans and pulses are diverse food resources of high nutritional value (protein, energy, fiber and vitamins and minerals) with broad social acceptance. These legume crops demonstrate global adaptability, genotypic and phenotypic diversity, and multiple means of preparation and dietary use. Beans and pulses are produced in regions as diverse as Latin America, Africa, Asia, and North America, and on a scale similar to some other crops, such as wheat, corn, rice and soybeans. Numerous factors influence utilization, including bean type and cultivar selection, cropping environment and systems, storage conditions and handling infrastructure, processing and final product preparation. Nutrient content and bio-availability are dramatically influenced by these conditions. In recent years, beans and pulses have been cited for imparting specific positive health potentiating responses, such as hypocholesteremic response, mitigation of diabetes and colonic cancer, and weight control. Enhanced dry bean utilization focused on improved dietary health is an opportunity within both subsistent and developed populations. This book provides a contemporary source of information that brings together current knowledge and practices in the value chain of beans/pulses production, processing, and nutrition. It provides in-depth coverage of a wide variety of pertinent topics including: breeding, postharvest technologies, composition, processing technologies, food safety, quality, nutrition, and significance in human health. An experienced team of over 25 contributors from North America, Asia, and Africa has written 15 chapters, divided into three sections: Overview, production and postharvest technologies of beans and pulses Composition, value-added processing and quality Culinology, nutrition, and significance in human health Contributors come from a field of diverse disciplines, including crop sciences, food science and technology, food biochemistry, food engineering, nutritional sciences, and culinology. Dry Beans and Pulses Production, Processing and Nutrition is an essential resource for scientists, processors and nutritionists, whatever the work setting.

The International Year of Pulses celebrated in 2016 magnified the public focus and consumer perception on human health, environmental aspects, crop production and novel product development benefits of pulses. The gluten-free and plant protein movements have also increased interest in pulse utilization. The common dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) among pulses is the most economically and widest ecologically adapted crop species used for food by large populations. Nowadays, dry beans top the list of pulse crops accounting on average for ~38 and 32% of global pulse growing area and production, respectively. Protein production from kidney beans requires about 18, 12, 10, 10 and 9 times less land, fertilizer, pesticide, water and fuel, respectively compared to producing the same amount of protein from beef.This book focuses on breeding aspects including new cultivars, production and post-harvest practices, and investigations that can lead to the development of high quality grain and functional foods, and nutraceutical products from beans. It also provides an overview of the crop management practices, technology progress and impacts favoring the best possible clean and sustainable crop production. Bean breeding is highlighted form the European perspective including the preservation/conservation of local gene pools. Bean production and quality improvement is a continuous process, particularly in major bean producing and consuming countries. The socioeconomic impact is considerable in countries where beans are traditionally part of the staple daily diet. However, application of novel technologies in improving nitrogen fixation, integrated disease management, and post-harvest storage ensures sustainable bean production and quality. The quality of bean types close to the site of its original domestication provides an outlook on their resilience and potential as a genetic resource and future food products. Current knowledge of bean health benefits, bioactive compounds, bioactive peptides and phenolics are important for development of novel functional foods. Beans can be used in many forms; as a natural coagulant, in metabolic disease prevention and other common bean-based food products, where their current market availability is explored. The multiple attributes of beans including cost, sustainability, commercial availability in varied forms and types ensure its extensive and expanding use in the development of healthy eating habits that can reduce healthcare and societal costs. This book should give plant scientists, nutritionists, health professionals, chemists and industry professionals interested in beans useful and up-to-date information to advance the field.