Grain Legumes/Pulses Introduction and Importance

Pulses are a source of supplementary protein to daily diets based on cereals and starchy food for a predominantly vegetarian population and for those who cannot afford expensive animal protein. Pulses are therefore often regarded as poor mans meat. They also provide energy, essential minerals, vitamins and several compounds considered beneficial for good health. Their cultivation enriches soil by adding nitrogen and improves the physical, chemical and biological soil properties.Pulses are grown since ages in different parts of the world. They are well suited to diverse environments and fit in various cropping systems owing to their wide adaptability, low input requirements, fast growth, short duration, nitrogen fixing and weed smothering ability. Their short growing period and photoperiod sensitivity make them suitable for crop intensification and diversification. Dry beans, which include green gram and black gram, are the most important pulse crops of the world, whereas chickpea, pigeon pea and lentil occupy the third, fourth and sixth position respectively. Not withstanding their high production potential, their productivity is generally low as these are cultivated on poor lands, with no or little inputs and are susceptible to several abiotic and biotic stresses. The demand of pulses is fast increasing, both in developed and developing countries, where they meet the minimum protein requirements of an increasing population turning to a vegetarian diet. Their productivity can be doubled by improved cultivars and by modern production technologies.

Introduction The family Fabaceae (earlier known as Leguminosae) comprises more than 600 genera and about 18,00 species of cultivated plants. It is the second largest family after Poaceae (earlier known as Gramineae), in terms of food and vegetable protein source, and of fodder. Endowed with excellent food and fodder qualities, these crops also restore soil fertility by scavenging atmospheric nitrogen, adding organic matter, enhancing phosphorous availability and improving physical, chemical and biological properties of soil. Hence, they occupy an indispensable positions in various cereal based cropping systems in marginal and sub marginal lands, where they sustain intensive agriculture and farming systems adopted by small and marginal farmers. Food legumes refer to those plants of the Fabaceae family which are used directly or indirectly in the form of unripe pods, green grains and dry seeds as a source of food. The connotation legume is derived from the latin word legere meaning to gather, which points to the traditional practice of seed collection by hand instead of being threshed from the plants like cereals. The term grain legume is often used to indicate that the product of primary concern for human consumption is the seed/grain rather than the pods, leaves or any other part of leguminous plants. Edible seeds of leguminous plants are also referred to as pulses. Pulses, or grain legumes in general, are an indispensable source of supplementary protein to daily vegetarian diets; these are regarded as poor mans meat. Pulse proteins are chiefly globulins and contain low concentrations of sulfur containing amino acids such as methionine

and cystine but higher concentrations of lysine than cereals. When supplemented with cereals, pulses provide a perfect mix of essential amino acids with high biological value. Pulses contain more calcium and iron than cereals. The demand of pulses is fast increasing to meet the minimum protein requirements of an increasing world populations. Higher demands are also due to more people with increasing incomes turning to a vegetarian diet (especially in the industrialized world). Pulses have a wide range of adaptability to latitudes, longitudes and climatic variables. Though variable types of pulses are cultivated in almost every climate, adaptability of individual species of the domesticated pulses is confined in the areas of their origin. Pigeon pea, chickpea, green gram, black gram and lentil are the five major pulse crops which are grown on large areas mainly in Asia and Africa under varied soil and management conditions. Pigeon pea , green gram and black gram are mainly grown in lower altitude areas between 30N to 30 S in particular in the semi arid and lower humid tropics of South East Asia, Africa and Central America. Chickpea and lentil are cultivated exetensively at low altitudes from 15N up to 40 N. Cultivation of chickpea extends even at higher altitudes near the equator in Ethiopia and Central America. Pigeon pea, green gram, black gram, chickpea and lentil occupy significant positions in Asia (especially South East Asia) and Africa. Green gram, black gram and pigeon pea along with soyabean are kharif (monsoon) season crops. Chickpea and Lentil are cool season legume crops grown in the Indian Sub continent during winter. In Nepal, lentil is the first ranked legume crop widely cultivated during the winter season after the rice whereas Soyabean, Black gram and Pigeonpea are ranked second, third and fourth respectively.

Pigeon Pea
Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh) is known by more than 350 vernacular names, the most popular being arhar, tur, Congo pea, gandul, guandu, Angola pea, Yellow dal, Catjang pea, Red gram etc. the connotation pigeon pea probably originated in America where its seeds reportedly were favored by pigeons. The crop ranks fourth in importance as edible legume in the world. Pigeon peas are extensively grown throughout the tropics, subtropics and warmer equatorial regions of Asia, East Africa and Central America. The major production area is located in India, Myanmmar, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Tanzania. India alone occupies three-fourth of the global harvested area and contributes almost a similar share in production. Origin and History Peninsular India and Eastern Africa are considered as main centres of origin for Pigeon pea. Remains of pigeon pea found in an Egyptian tomb at Dra Abu Negga (Thebe area) date back to 2400-2200 B.C. Thirteen wild species are also endemic to Australia. Distribution At present it is grown popularly in 14 countries of tropical world in 4 million hectares of land.

Leading producers are India (contribute 90% of global production), Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia etc. Economy The grain contains 17-24% protein in dehulled basis and 21-28% in hulled basis (i.e. in dal). 57-59% CHO 1.2-8% Crude fibre 0.6-3% Fat Grain also contain sulfur rich amino acids like methionine and cystein and may minerals such as calcium, Phoshorous, sulfur, iron and so on. Also it contains vitamins like Riboflavin. Plant description Pigeon pea is a short day plant with C3 pathway for carbon assimilation. It has extensive deep, strong, woody tap roots with well developed laterals. Germination is hypogeal. The plant is determinate as it produces flower buds at different nodes but flower opening starts from top to lower nodes. The plant is much branched appears llike a woody, prostrate or erect annual shrub, a short lived perennial that can survive for 3-5 years under favorable conditions. Its growth cycle varies from 90 to 300 days. The stem is hairy with silky profuse branches. Leaves are trifoliate, compound and pubescent. The flowers are bright yellow, sometimes with red flags or red to purple veins on the dorsal side. In the same plant, the pods formed at different times usually differ in size. Pods appear on the late order branches and rarely on the main shoot. The pod contains 3-6 seeds. Climatic Requirements Pigeon pea performs well in the temperature range of 25-35C and can survive even 45C if the soil contains adequate moisture. The crop is susceptible to low temperatures and frost. The day length of 12-14 hrs is required for optimum growth and development. It can be grown successfully in areas receiving annual rainfall of 600-1400 mm. however early and short duration cultivars do not perform well in high rainfall areas. Cloudy weather or rains at flowering and fruiting result in poor pod setting and seed filling and may lead to increased damage by pod borers. The crop is photoperiod sensitive requiring a large dark period for blooming. Pigeon pea is largely cultivated as dry land or rainfed crop and is fairly drought tolerant. However, the crop, despite its deep root system meets half of its total water requirement from top 50 cm of soil and thus responds quite well to irrigation. Water supplement at branching, flower initiation and pod filling is most beneficial. This crop is sensitive to water logging even for a very short period. Injudicious irrigation may make the crop prone to wilt and blight. Soil

Pigeon pea is a hardy crop that can be grown on a wide variety of soils ranging from sandy loam to heavy clay loam and even in marginal soils. It thrives well on well drained soil with adequate fertility. Saline, alkaline and water logged soils are unfit for its cultivation. Two to three plowings followed by planking are enough to provide a suitable seed bed for sowing. The water logged soil are not regarded good for the cultivation of this crop. Also since acidic conditions in the soil inhibit the root nodule formation the neutral pH is regarded best for its cultivation. Agronomy Cropping season Pigeon pea is generally grown during kharif (rainy) season in Nepal. The crop is sown with the onset of rains in late June or early July. With irrigation facilities its sowing can be advanced to early June to facilitate timely sowing of wheat in the following rabi season. Being photoperiod sensitive, late sowing results in lower yields due to less vegetative growth and early flowering. In areas where winter rains are scarce, late sown crops may be exposed to terminal drought. As a summer crop, it is sown in mid april, long duration cultivars of pigeon pea are usually intercropped with early maturing cultivars of green gram or black gram. The crop should be harvested when 80-90% of the pods have turned brown, even though the leaves still appear green. Irrigation Crop is hardy so it tolerates draught fairly throughout its lifecycle however germination and flowering to pod formation stage care the most critical from moisture stress point of view. Legume seed require 2-2.5 times the weight of seed water to get imbibed to progress germination. Flower abortion caused due to moisture stress at flowering. Seed abortion at severe moisture stress. If over moisture it cannot tolerate over moistening of soil as well as high relative humidity. Wilting is severe in pigeonpea if there is over moisture in the soil. At flowering over moistening favors the incidence of various diseases. So preferably 3 irrigations at germination, branching and pre flowering to pod formation stages can meet the optimum water requirement of the soil. Field Preparation While dealing with the field preparation we should ensure that the crop gets optimum soil condition for its growth and development. It should be loose enough for the development of the root at the early stages of the crops. It doesnt need good preparation of the soil. But the provision of drainage and weed management are the must. Ridge method is preferable over the flat method in cultivation as 20-30% yield increment was found in ridge method of planting as it avoids the water logging condition. As mentioned above 2-3 ploughing or 1 ploughing and 2 harrowing followed by planking is done to prepare the bed for sowing the seed. Spacing

Spacing depends on the several factors such as soil fertility, seed size, germination percentage, seed purity, seed viability and so on however row to row spacing of 30-180 cm is maintained for long duration and spreading type of plants with plant to plant spacing of 20-30 cm. Denser the planting, more synchronization in flowering. More the spacing, the crop tends to be indeterminate. 90*20 cm: Long duration varieties 30*20 cm: Short duration varieties Varieties Only two varieties of pigeon pea has been released in Nepal till the date. Bageshwori: 261 DAS Rampur Rahar: 197 DAS However short duration varieties of ICPL lines has been under trial experiments in NGLRP. Seed Rate This also depends on various factors such as seed size, germination percentage, seed viability, time of sowing etc. 10-40 kg of seed rate per hectare is recommended for pigeonpea. Weed control During rainy season weed pose a serious threat to pigeon pea cultivation. These weeds compete with the pigeon pea crop for nutrient, water, light and also provide a shelter for harmful insects and pests. Since pigeon pea has slow initial growth it is heavily infested with various weeds during its early days. The period of first 60 DAS is very critical in the life cycle of the crop. Two hand or mechanical weedings, one at 25-30 DAS and other at 45-60 DAS give excellent weed control. The pre emergence application of lasso @ 3 litres per hectare kills the germinating seedlings of weeds and keeps the field free from the weeds for the first 50 days. OR Basalin 1 kg a.i. per hectare in 800-1000 litres of water as pre planting spray can be used. It should be well incorporated in the soil before the sowing of crops. Harvesting and Threshing The best time to harvest the pigeon pea crop is when a large percentage of the pods is mature, probably two third to three fourth of pods turn brown. The plants are cut with the sickles 10-25 cm above the ground and left in sun for drying. After drying, threshing is carried out by beating the pods with stick. The proportion of seeds to pod is generally 50-60%. For storage purpose the grains are again dried until the moisture content reach 10-11%. Yield 20-30 quintals/ha