Local and sustainable protein production with improved faba beans

Faba beans are widely adapted to different climates, but yield especially well under moist temperate conditions. In Denmark, they can play a major role in substituting for soy imports and there is strong interest from both farmers and grain merchants. IMFABA will realise the great potential of faba beans by improving yield stability and protein properties, taking advantage of the expertise and resources developed during the NORFAB project.

Drought and heat stress greatly affect yield stability. Leaf stomatal density and canopy temperature will be screened in the NORFAB germplasm to identify genotypes with contrasting drought responses. Their stomatal conductance will be measured and the active root zone will be monitored using moisture sensors to identify mechanisms underlying drought tolerance.

Protein content, amino acid composition and protein digestibility are major targets for improvement in order to match soybean-based feed. Seed protein content, storage protein diversity and feed value will be screened to develop markers and enable breeding crosses that lead to increased protein and methionine content, without compromising yield or seed size.

In NORFAB, breeding efforts were initiated and inbred breeding lines were generated. IMFABA takes an important next step by selecting breeding lines for new synthetic varieties based on drought resistance and protein properties, while also providing a basis for continued improvement of these traits in future breeding programs.