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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » Grain Legume Genetics Physiology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #322128
Title: Phenotyping nutritional and antinutritional traits

Author
item THAVARAJAH, DIL - Clemson University
item JOHNSON, CASEY - North Dakota State University
item McGee, Rebecca
item THAVARAJAH, PUSHPARAJAH - North Dakota State University

Submitted to: Phenomics of Crop Plants: Trends, Options, and Limitation
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/1/2015
Publication Date: 1/28/2015
Citation: Thavarajah, D., Johnson, C.R., Mcgee, R.J., Thavarajah, P. 2015. Phenotyping nutritional and antinutritional traits. Phenomics of Crop Plants: Trends, Options, and Limitation. 223-233.

Interpretive Summary: To combat global malnutrition, novel ways to produce nutritious foods are required. During the green revolution, calorie-focused cereal crop production practices replaced a range of traditional food crops, including legumes, tubers, fruits and vegetables. Investigating the potential of traditional food crops may provide better nutrition solutions toward improved human health. Food legumes could be a central part of future sustainable food systems. To this end, lentil (Lens culinaris Medik), a cool season food legume, has been a central part of biofortification research efforts due to its superior nutritional profile and short cooking time. This paper focuses on nutritional and antinutritional traits and their phenotyping.

Technical Abstract: Evolution of nutrient-rich food systems to calorie-focused production agriculture has created serious agricultural and human health issues: marginalization of traditional agricultural crops, greater dependence of agricultural inputs, and creation of both energy and micronutrient malnutrition. To date more than half of global human populations are suffering numerous health problems associated with excess calories and lack of essential micronutrients. Pulse crops, in particular lentils, are promising crops not only to improve human health but also to reduce agricultural inputs toward greater agricultural sustainability. In this book chapter, human micronutrient malnutrition issues, suggestions to reduce micronutrient deficiencies, promise of pulse crops using lentil as an example, lentil’s micronutrient and antinutrient profiles, nutrient analytical procedures, and the needs to shift our thinking from calorie-focused to nutrient-focused approaches are also presented.