LEGUMES

Agricultural Uses

The plants of the family Leguminosae, which is a subfamily of Papilionoideae, are called legumes. The Leguminosae family is the second most important group of flowering plants, next only to Gramineae, and is grown as a source of food and fodder. These are dicots and form a symbiotic association with Rhizobium bacteria in the form of nodules. Under good nodulation, much of the plant's nitrogen needs can be met through biological nitrogen fixation. The term also includes any plant of the order Rosales that bears dry, dehiscent fruits.
Legumes are valued for their use in chemicals and aesthetics. They are also valued as timber, browse trees and shrubs, forage crops, cover crops, green manures, seeds, food and cooking fuel. Legumes, such as clover and alfalfa, serve as forage crop. As vegetables, peas, beans, etc., they offer a variety of protein-rich pods and seeds. Grain legumes, like soybean, offer excellent promise as an ingredient in the processed foods industry. Legumes are often grown as filler, catch or relay crops between cereal crops to enrich the soil with nitrogen, and to break the disease cycle.
The legume family contains about 650 genera and 18,000 species. In terms of sheer numbers of species and genera used by humans, legumes are by far the most utilized family. Grain legumes not only provide a variety to the human diet, they also supply dietary protein for many populations lacking in animal and fish protein. In addition, a grain legume like peanut, which fixes atmospheric nitrogen and thereby reduces the cost of nitrogen applications, is an excellent source of cooking oil, margarine and salad dressings.