ABSTRACT
The increase in world population means a higher demand of food resources which only can be met with an exponential increase in agricultural production. It is important to consider that human nutrition is mainly held by 20 plant crops belonging to cereals, vegetables (which include legumes) and fruits. To increase crop yield, improving-programs have tried to select cultivars with enhanced effi ciency between fertilizer application and productivity. This has been relatively successful in cereals such as wheat or barley, used mainly as an energy source, but they have a low concentration of essential amino acids lysine and threonine, and a total protein content of only about 12 percent. Legumes such as soybean, bean or pea, have a more complex mineral nutrition, but are good and cheap sources of protein
1Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University Autónoma de Madrid. c/Darwin 2, Campus de Cantoblanco. 28049-Madrid. Spain. 2Department of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources. Faculty of Pharmacy, University of San Pablo CEU. Ctra. Boadilla del Monte Km 5.3. 28668-Boadilla del Monte. Madrid, Spain. *Corresponding author: ildefonso.bonilla@uam.es
(around 25 percent), and with a lysine and threonine content higher than cereals. FAO recommends a mixed diet, which includes cereals and legumes in an adequate proportion not only to get a balanced protein nutrition and essential amino acids , but also an equilibrated content of sugars, vitamins and minerals.
