KnowLEdGE creation and iNcreasing acreage of legumes in Diversified cropping systems by quAntification of theiR ecosYstem services (LEGENDARY)

The objective of LEGENDARY is to remove the barriers that hamper a significant and stable increase of the growing area of legumes in Europe. LEGENDARY has the ambition to develop tools and methods going considerably beyond the state-of-the-art to quantify Ecosystem Services (ESs) of perennial and of annual legumes in different agro-climatic zones. Based on co-creation, LEGENDARY aligns its research strategy with the actual needs. Field experiments will be monitored by a combination of traditional observation methods and advanced sensing technologies whose sensor reads are translated to ES trait values by means of dedicated statistical and machine learning models. These data will be fortified with results from past/ongoing projects. Valuation of the provisioning ESs will mainly be based on historical data, as the focus is to develop tools/methods for the valuation of the regulating services as well as for the valuation of cultural/social services including recreation, education and aesthetic values. These tools/methods will provide ready-to-use indicators to better equip farmers/advisors to evaluate and appreciate the benefits of legumes, including enhanced fertilising regimes, management of noxious organisms as well as recommendations to strengthen crop diversification and longer rotation cycles with crops beneficial for the environment, the farmer and the consumer. A user-friendly Collaborative Multicriteria Decision Support System will be developed, to assist farmers in the choice of legume species and cropping systems suitable for their farm. LEGENDARY’s results will contribute to develop guidelines for science-policies bodies. Consequently, the results and implementation actions provided will ultimately contribute to achieve five of the 17 UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and to accelerate the transition required by the European Green Deal. LEGENDARY’s legumes have the ability to promote soil health and will thus contribute to the Soil Deal for Europe.