Vicia pannonica - Hungarian Vetch

Citation of this document: Enneking, D. (1997) Vicia pannonica Crantz (Hungarian vetch). Dryland Pasture, Forage & Range

Network News. 14:25-26

Vicia pannonica Crantz (Hungarian vetch)

Dirk Enneking

Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture, University of Western Australia, Nedlands WA 6907 email:

[email protected]

Hungarian vetch is native to eastern Europe and Caucasus, primary gene centre in Georgia

(USSR), on the plateau of Akhalkalak, where it grows wild and is cultivated. Secondary gene

center in Hungary (Zeven and de Wet 1982). It is well adapted to severe winter cold being able to

tolerate even the extremes of the Anatolian Plateau. The cultivation of this species is expanding

rapidly in Turkey, replacing less productive Vicia spp. ( Sabanci, pers. comm.).

Guinea (1953) considered this species (V. pannonica ssp. purparescens) to be a significant

archaeophyte. The history of this species as a crop plant in Germany is given by Becker-Dillingen

(1929) who ascribed its elevation to crop plant status to the then well-kown Erfurt company Haage

& Schmidt who traded the seed of this species to the USA and even back to Hungary. The spread

of this species as a weed well in advance, the first occurrence in Germany was noted in 1875,

introduced through Croation labourers at Passau. First records in Switzerland date to 1873 in

Zuerich, 1880 Mannheim, since 1900 Alsace etc.

In France, prior to WW1 the cultivation of this species was occasionally recommended by the

company Vilmorin-Andrieux.

Despite its good cold tolerance under normal conditions, Lechner (1969) advised as a breeding

objective the selection for cold tolerance in the absence of snow cover (Kahlfrosthaerte). In the

USA, V. pannonica is reported to be intermediate in cold resistance between winter forms of V.

sativa and V. villosa ( Magness et al., 1971).

It is also known to be well adapted to dry conditions during the European spring and summer

(Scheibe, 1953).

This species is extremely low in known vetch toxins (canavanine, beta cyano-alanine/ in two

samples examined) but there has been little or no use of it as a food legume. The seed is certainly

worth testing by monogastric bioassay to assess its palatability. Bell & Tirimanna (Bell and Tirimanna

1965) found VA3 in the seeds of this species. This compound has been recently identified from the



seeds of Vicia narbonensis as the sulphurous off-flavour precursor gamma-glutamyl-S-ethenyl-L-

cysteine (Enneking et al., 1997) .

Fertilisation and fruit set in V. pannonica can be increased by visits of pollinators (Zhang and

Mosjidis 1995). Avadeni (Avadeni 1987) studied the flowering biology of this partially outbreeding

species.

Like all vetches, its main uses are for hay and green manure. In Moldavia Avadeni (Avadeni

1989) evaluated a collection of 53 accessions and found promising lines with cold tolerance,

biomass, early flowering, high seed yield (pods/plant, HSW) and protein content. ICARDA is

focussing on the selection of genotypes with higher harvest index and resistance to Ascochyta blight.

Several lines have produced seed and biological yields to equal the best Vicia sativa linesAdapted

to heavy loams it tolerates poorly drained soils better than other vetches (Guinea 1953; Duke 1981).

Hardseededness has been reported to range from 2-20% (Iannelli, 1964) this, together with its

susceptibility of Orobanche spp. are its major drawbacks Iannelli (1970). In contrast, Lechner

(1969) observed almost complete soft-seededness with V. pannonica (probably cv. Toerring’s

Poernbacher). Becker-Dillingen (1929) also listed soft-seededness as a distinct advantage of this

species. The plant is pubescent but is nevertheless well liked by livestock. Non-shattering cultivars

with good early vigour such as “Toerrings Pannonica” (V. pannonica var. typica) were developed

earlier this century (Scheibe, 1953). Seed yields to 1372 kg/ha were recorded at Tel Hadya

(ICARDA, 1994). The species has therefore distinct promise as a grain crop. The use of cereal

tutor crops has been recommended fro seed production (Scheibe, 1953).

Soil types:

The species was recommended in the USA for wet soils where other legumes do not grow

(Becker-Dillingem, 1929; USDA Dep. Bull. 1174, 1928, Oregon).

Soil requirements are somewhat more exacting than those for V. villosa. The species does grow

on lighter soils, however, its yield is diminished on lighter soils where V. villosa still thrives. Addition

of lime may be required (Becker-Dillingen, 1929)

Medium heavy, lime containing soils are preferred (Lechner, 1969).



Botany

Two subspecies of V. pannonica are known (Becker-Dillingen, 1929, Lechner, 1959)

white flowering ssp. typica Beck. [seeds almost round, uniform black]

f. genuina Pospichal. with white-yellowish flowers

f. ochroleuca Tommasini. ochre coloured flowers ( crown)

with and the mediterranean form ssp. purpurascens [DC] Ser. (= var. striata Griseb.) [ seeds

more or less flattened, marbled with dull purple flowers.

In Germany, ssp. typica was most widely spread through the cultivar “Toerrings Poernbacher

white-flowering winter vetch (Breeder: Count Toerring’s Saatzuchtwirtschaft, Poernbach, Upper

Bavaria (Lechner, 1959).

In addition, the Experimental Station for plant production in Magyarovar, Hungary and Prof. E.

V. Legany, Hatvan, Hungary were involved in V. pannonica breeding ( Becker-Dillingen, 1929)

Phenology

Flowers 6-8 days earlier than V. villosa types ( Lechner, 1969). Iannnelli (1970) observed that

V. pannonica flowered 20 days later than early flowering V. sativa lines.

1. Avadeni, L. P. (1987) Study of the biology of flowering and pollination in Vicia

pannonica in Moldavia with the aim of improving the methodology of

hybridization. Selektsiya i Semenovodstvo Polevykh Kul'Tur v Moldavskoi SSR.

1987, 78-84; 13 Ref. Kishinev, Moldavian SSR.,

2. --- (1989) Characteristics of a collection of Vicia pannonica in the Moldavian SSR.

Nauchno Tekhnicheskii Byulleten' Vsesoyuznogo Ordena Lenina i Ordena

Druzhby-Narodov-Nauchno-Issledovatel'Skogo-Instituta-Rastenievodstva-Imeni-

N.I.-Vavilova, 190: 21-23

3. Bell, E. A. and Tirimanna, A. S. L. (1965) Associations of amino acids and related

compounds in the seeds of forty-seven species of Vicia: their taxonomic and

nutritional significance. Biochemical Journal, 97: 104-111.



4. Duke, J. A. (1981) Handbook of legumes of world economic importance. New York:

Plenum Press.

5. Guinea, E. (1953) Estudio Botanico de las vezas y arvejas Españolas. Madrid: INIA.

6. Zeven, A. C. and de Wet, J. M. J. (1982) Dictionary of cultivated plants and their

regions of diversity: excluding most ornamentals, forest trees and lower

plants. Wageningen: Centre for Agricultural Publishing and Documentation.

7. Zhang, X. and Mosjidis, J. A. (1995) Breeding systems of several Vicia species. Crop

Science, 35 (4): 1200-1202

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Vicia pannonica - Hungarian Vetch