Opportunities for improved adaptation via further domestication.

Abstract

The concept of improved adaptation via further domestication is based on the premise that wild legumes may contain useful diversity not present in the existing food legumes. It is a diversity which cannot be transferred to the food legumes by conventional breeding. For a wild legume to be considered for domestication it has to comply with three criteria: (1) a relatively high harvest index; (2) a reasonable prospect of producing a wholesome product, free of toxins and unpalatable substances; and (3) an ability to exploit environments in which conventional food legumes cannot produce economic yields. Adaptation in this regard includes the ability not only to cope with environmental stresses but also to offer a better product. At the moment, wild species can be domesticated as food legumes by: (1) selecting for some key characters, such as soft seed coat and non-shattering pods; (2) creating diversity in key characters by mutagenesis; and (3) transferring the domestication syndrome from cultivated relatives. Wider adaptation may be achieved by domesticating some perennial chickpea and Lathyrus species, after study of their potential as food legumes