Grain Legumes (Pulses)
Grain legumes, also called pulses, are plants belonging to the family Leguminosae (alternatively Fabaceae) which are grown primarily for their edible seeds. These seeds are harvested mature and marketed dry to be used as food or feed or processed into various products. Being legumes, these plants have the advantage of fixing atmospheric nitrogen for their own needs and for soil enrichment, thereby reducing the cost of fertilizer inputs in crop farming.
Crops that are harvested green for forage and for vegetables are excluded, as well as those grown for grazing or green manure. Also excluded are the leguminous crops with seeds which are used exclusively for sowing, such as alfalfa and clover (FAO, 2010).
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Pulses are legumes that produce seed for human consumption. They are harvested when dry, and then cooked, usually requiring long soaks in cooking liquid. They are high in carbohydrates, B vitamins, and protein--often able to serve as meat substitutes in the diet. Oil content of pulses varies...
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01-11-2017 By integrating legumes intoc ropping systems, small-scale farmers in low-resource settings can invest in the long-term health and resilience of their soils. Success or failure depends largely on choosing the right legume(s). Selection or screening trials are use ful experiments that direct...
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05-02-2025 Vigna vexillata is a perennial vine that has edible leaves, young pods, seeds, and tubers. It can be used as a forage or ground cover. It is adaptable to a wide range of growing conditions.
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16-12-2024 Adzuki bean is native to eastern Asia and has been introduced around the world for its versatility as a cover crop, its nutritional value, and its use in traditional Asian cuisine. Dense plantings and pure stands cover the soil well.
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19-10-1996 Book Review: Food Legumes Drought-Tolerant, Early-Maturing 'Crimson' Lentil "Sweet" Lupin (Lupinus albus) Seed Marama Bean, Tylosema esculentum, for Very Arid Regions Nutritive Value of Nunas (Popping Beans) Research on Nunas (Popping Beans) Pigeonpea Varieties from ICRISAT Soybean Crop...
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Grain legumes, also calledpulses, are plants belonging to the family Leguminosae (alternatively Fabaceae) which are grown primarily for their edible seeds. These seeds are harvested mature and marketed dry to be used as food or feed or processed into various products. Being legumes, these plants...
- Muoni, T., Barnes, A. P., Öborn, I., Watson, C. A., Bergkvist, G., Shiluli, M., & Duncan, A. J. (2019). Farmer perceptions of legumes and their functions in smallholder farming systems in east Africa.International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability,17(3), 205–218....
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Key Resource 19-01-1979 This National Academy of Sciences report describes plants of the family Leguminosae, all of them greatly underexploited. Some are extensively used in one part of the world but unknown elsewhere; others are virtually unknown to science but have particular attributes that suggest they could become...