A wide-ranging survey of all the major grain legumes from their evolution to their potential for further development and improvement as economically important food crops. The book covers the changes that have occurred in the course of plant domestication leading to our present pulse crops and oilseed legume crops. The author also discusses the benefits to be gained from evaluation and improvement of grain legume genetic resources. This is a suitable book for advanced undergraduate courses in plant breeding and postgraduate courses in genetic resource conservation, collection and management.
Reviews
"Smartt does an excellent job of pulling together the available knowledge on grain legumes and realistically outlines future research objectives and potentials for these plants. This book will serve a useful purpose as a reference for all interested in grain legumes and crop domestication." Daniel Harder, Biochemical Systematics and Ecology "...I highly recommend this monograph on grain legume genetic resources and evolution both as a reference and as a textbook for upper class undergraduates and graduate classes in genetic resources conservation and crop evolution." Paul Gepts, Economic Botany
