Grain legumes are characterised by their nutritional value, an ability to grow rapidly and improve soil health. This makes them a key rotation crop in promoting food security. However, yields are constrained by factors such as pests and diseases as well as vulnerability to poor soils, drought and other effects of climate change. This collection reviews the wealth of research addressing these challenges. Volume 2 assesses key research on particular types of grain legume with chapters on developing improved varieties as well as improvements in cultivation techniques. The book covers common beans, lentils, soybeans, groundnuts, cowpea, faba beans and pigeonpea. With its distinguished editorial team and international range of expert authors, this will be a standard reference for the grain legume research community and farmers of these important crops. It is accompanied by a companion volume which reviews general advances in breeding and cultivation techniques.

In the last three decades, the global production of lentils has almost tripled due to larger harvest areas but also more importantly from progress in research and productivity. Chapters outline improvements in production, such as water and soil nutrient management, agronomy, mechanization and weed management. Developments in genetics and breeding are discussed alongside improved knowledge of the lentil's origin, domestication, morphology and adaptation. The implementation and impact of this new research at the farm level is also addressed as well as the crop's post-harvest processing and nutritional value.