Page 23 - Green knowledge 2025

Photo: Anne Marthe Lundby
Many options with faba beans and peas
New research shows that it is the seed’s water content and developmental stage that
determine how protein and carbohydrates are stored in faba beans and peas.
Through her doctoral research, Anne Marthe Lundby
at NIBIO has provided valuable insights into seed
development, the accumulation of protein and carbo-
hydrates, and the maturation process in peas (Pisum
sativum L.) and faba beans (Vicia faba L.) at north-
ern latitudes. The study included both field trials and
controlled climate experiments.
Her findings support the most common cultivation
practice in Norway, where neither Rhizobium inocu-
lation nor starter fertilisation is used when crops are
grown in well-managed soils. Such soils already con-
tain sufficient populations of Rhizobium bacteria.
These bacteria form a symbiotic relationship with
legume crops and fix nitrogen from the air.
Both faba beans and peas developed a higher
number of nodules when supplied with Rhizobium.
However, this had limited effects on yield and pro-
tein content in both crops. In faba beans, between 80
and 90 percent of the nitrogen came from atmos-
pheric fixation.
Searching for the best varieties
Lundby’s results show, among other things, that
temperature affects the time needed for maturation,
but the nutritional content of the seeds is the same
when compared at similar developmental stages. In
other words, seed quality remains stable, and this is
good news for Norwegian growers.
“One of the biggest challenges in Norway, especially
for faba beans, is the short growing season. It is
therefore important to continue evaluating varieties
through field trials in different parts of Norway, so
we can identify those best adapted to various envi-
ronments,” says Lundby.
Breeding stable, medium-late varieties suited to Nor-
wegian conditions may help expand the country’s
cultivation potential.
Purpose: Funding: Contact: To investigate and identify the best possible cultivation techniques for broad beans (Vicia faba) and
peas in Norway.
The Research Council of Norway
Research Scientist Anne Marthe Lundby, Division of Food Production and Society.
Email: anne.marthe.lundby@nibio.no | Telephone: +47 995 74 752.
21