Legumes in low input agricultural systems: agronomical traits, sustainability aspects and nutritional features.

In the context of the expanding global food demand and the climate-driven issues affecting the environment and biodiversity, organic cultivation of grain legumes can play a crucial role in making agri-food systems more sustainable. Given the combination of being high-protein source for human and animal feed, grain legumes are nitrogen fixing and also improve cropping systems, enhancing soil quality and supporting positive environmental impacts, such as reduction in greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions and increased biodiversity. In this study, the agronomic performance of peas (Pisum sativum L. var. Turris) cultivated in organic farming system and under low input conditions in different Italian (Emilia-Romagna) environments (mountainous and hilly) and at different sowing times (Autumn and Spring) over two cropping seasons (2021 and 2022) was evaluated. In parallel, the harvested organic pea grain was totally substituted to soy-based diet in dairy cattle feeding and the relative effect on milk yield and quality was studied. Finally, the nutritional features of organic peas were investigated and deepen with the evaluation of functional characteristics of wheat-based baked snacks (crackers) enriched with 6% of the respective organic pea flour. The results gave interesting insights showing that, despite mountainous environment appeared to be more promising in terms of growth parameters, the grain yield of hilly environment displayed good results. Regarding milk yield and nutritional quality of dairy cows feed, peas replacement showed an overall positive effect on main parameters and thus may be considered as a valuable and sustainable alternative to soybean in the nutrition of dairy cattle. Concerning the nutritional composition, weather conditions displayed a strong impact among most of the compounds of the pea grain, as well for the wheat-based crackers enriched with 6% of organic pea flour, which demonstrated to improve the dough and final food product characteristics, in terms of functional and nutritional quality.