The study examines how the 2024 growing season’s extreme weather – cold spring with frosts followed by a hot, dry summer – affected the biochemical composition and feed value of narrow-leaved lupine (Lupinus angustifolius L.), seed pea (Pisum sativum L.), and field pea (Pisum arvense L., “pelyushka”) in the Kirov region. Given rising climate instability, assessing legume adaptability to stress – particularly the ability to maintain nutrient content while limiting toxic compounds – is crucial. Key feed-value indicators analyzed included crude protein, fat, fiber, ash, metabolizable energy, and alkaloids, the latter being critical for lupine safety in animal feed. The field experiment was conducted at Vyatka State Agricultural and Technological University’s Agrotechnopark. Grain analyses were performed in accredited labs: standard chemical methods were used for protein, fat, fiber, and ash; alkaloids were measured by wet chemistry at VNII Lupin. For the first time in the region, all crops retained high metabolizable energy (12.6-13.3 MJ/kg) and dry matter (86.0-90.1%) despite climatic stress. Seed and field peas significantly exceeded average Russian norms for crude protein and biological extractive substances, demonstrating strong adaptive capacity. In contrast, all lupine varieties showed unacceptably high alkaloid levels (0.331-0.60%), exceeding the GOST R 54632-2011 limit for the 3rd quality class (0.30%), indicating stress-induced synthesis of secondary metabolites. Among them, the Mezenat variety displayed the most balanced profile – 32.5% protein, 6.4% fat, and the lowest alkaloid content (0.331%). These results are practically valuable for breeding and agronomic strategies in northern Russia, highlighting the need to select varieties not only for nutritional quality but also for resilience to climate-induced toxin accumulation.
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Emelev et al. (2025) studied this question.
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