Legume

**Legume Terminology and History:**
– The FAO defines pulses as legume crops harvested solely for the dry seed.
– Common usage blurs distinctions between dried pulses and green vegetables.
– Historical use of pulses dates back to Neanderthals and ancient civilizations like the Indus Valley and Egypt.
– Soybean was first domesticated in China around 5,000 years ago and introduced to the US in 1770.
– Farmers typically reserve the term legumes for food crops.

**Legume Uses and Consumption:**
– Legumes serve various agricultural roles like forage, grain, pharmaceutical/industrial, and timber categories.
– Key legumes for human and animal consumption include beans, lentils, lupins, peas, and peanuts.
– Legumes are essential ingredients in vegan meat and dairy substitutes.
– Legumes are rich sources of protein, fiber, carbohydrates, and dietary minerals.
– Legume products experienced a 39% growth in Europe between 2013 and 2017.

**Legume Forage and Agriculture:**
– Forage legumes like alfalfa, clover, and vetch are grazed by livestock.
– Legumes improve animal performance compared to diets of perennial grasses.
– Legume trees like Gliricidia sepium provide shade for cattle and are eaten by them.
– Legumes can be grown as green manure between economic crops.
– Some legume species contain poisonous elements like black locust and Kentucky coffeetree.

**Legume Pollination and Production:**
– Legumes can be self-pollinated or cross-pollinated, with some tropical legumes being closely self-pollinated.
– Nitrogen fixation in legume root nodules enriches them in plant proteins.
– Legumes play a vital role in the nitrogen cycle and soil fertility.
– Legumes are the third-largest land plant family with around 19,000 known species.
– They constitute about seven percent of flowering plant species and are widely distributed with approximately 751 genera.

**Legume Storage, Pests, and International Recognition:**
– Seed viability decreases with longer storage time, affected by humidity and temperature.
– Common legume pests include bean flies, black bean aphids, pea weevils, and stem nematodes.
– The International Year of Pulses 2016 aimed to raise awareness of the nutritional benefits of pulses and promote sustainable food production.
– Various publications and taxonomies exist related to legumes, their pests, diseases, and control measures.
– There are resources available for further reading on legumes, vegetarianism, and related topics, as well as notable authors, chefs, and personalities advocating for vegetarianism.