What are Leguminous Plants?

A leguminous plant is a type of flowering plant that produces vegetables or meals from pods or ground knobs that improve the ability of nitrogen-rich material. They have nodules in their roots, where nitrogen-fixing bacteria live. Examples of Leguminous plants are beans, peas, lentils, and soybeans. Legumes are products of leguminous plants. The pods or fruits of these plants are called Legumes.

There are more than 18,000 species of Legumes. A few notable Legumes are beans, peas, peanuts, and soybeans. You might have some doubts about what are leguminous plants, how legumes grow, and where legumes plants grow. Let’s dive into the content to have a better understanding.

Peas

Formation of Legumes

Leguminous plants have a large number of species. The term leguminous refers to plants in the legume family, which includes plants that produce beans, peas, and lentils. To identify vegetative legumes, one must consider the number of leaflets that make up the leaf, leaf margins, stipules, and petioles. Most legumes have three leaflets; an exception is birdsfoot trefoil which has five. These plants contain pods which differ in size, colour, and shape. 

Flowers of Leguminous Plants

They have spherical flowers and their petals are fused. 

Fruits of Leguminous Plants

The fruits are in the form of pods. These are also called two valved fruits and they split to reveal their seeds. The seeds are edible.

Nitrogen Fixation in Leguminous Plants

The plant roots undergo nitrogen fixation with soil bacteria. Bacteria like rhizobium help in nitrogen fixation in leguminous plants.

Leguminous Plant

What are Legumes?

Legumes Pods arrive in different shapes, sizes, and surfaces. A pod delivers its seeds by dividing open along two creases.

Legumes are a significant wellspring of food since they are high in protein. Beans, peas, and peanuts are Legumes that individuals regularly eat. Soybeans are utilised to make such food sources as tofu, soy milk, frozen yoghurt, and soy sauce. Soybeans are additionally used to take care of domesticated animals. Hay and clover are utilised as domesticated animals' feed as well.

How do Legumes Grow?

Leguminous plants usually require more K, S, Mo, and B than grasses. Since the nutrient needs of grasses and legumes differ, use fertilisers to manage a grass/legume mixture. Adding K, S, Mo, and B will favour legume growth.

Where do Legumes Plant Grow?

Plants in the Fabaceae family produce legumes, which are also called pods. Dehiscent legumes split open along two seams to release their seeds, although in some cases, such as peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) and carobs (Ceratonia siliqua), seeds do not open naturally. There are many different kinds of fruits, but most of them are long, narrow, and have single rows of seeds. Besides providing food for both humans and animals, legumes also produce edible oils, fibre, and raw materials for making plastics. The seeds of many plants are grown for their edible seeds, which contain a lot of essential amino acids and are high in protein.

Uses of Legumes

Grain legumes are developed for their seeds, which are utilised for human and animal utilisation or the creation of oils for industrial purposes.

Legumes are utilised as an ingredient in vegan meat and dairy substitutes. Legumes growing as a plant-based protein source in the planet's marketplace. Legumes are a good source of protein, dietary fibre, carbs, and dietary minerals; for instance, a 100-gram serving of cooked chickpeas contains 18% of the Daily Value (DV) for protein, 30% DV for dietary fibre, 43% DV for folate, and 52% DV for manganese.

Legumes are likewise an amazing wellspring of safe starch which is separated by microorganisms in the intestine to deliver short-chain unsaturated fats (for example, butyrate) involved by gastrointestinal cells for food energy.

Legumes

Role of Leguminous Plants in Soil Fertility 

Leguminous plants play a very important role in increasing soil fertility. They help in legumes growing and indigenous nitrogen production and they also fulfil human demands for protein and energy. They also can solubilize phosphate by excreting organic acids from the soil, in addition to improving soil fertility. When they are used in crop rotation, they help in the restoration of soil natural matter and limit pests and diseases. It is widely believed that the nitrogen fixation procedure is the most environment-friendly way to grant vast amounts of nitrogen needed through these plants. The bacteria multiply in the roots causing the swelling of the root cells to structure nodules. 

Economic Importance of Legumes

Legumes are rich in a wide variety of proteins and minerals which are sold for cash income while tree legumes are necessary for livestock feed. Because of their ability to fix nitrogen levels in soil, they are often intercropped with cereals. Cowpea, groundnut, soybean, and common beans are some of the most important grain legumes which also play a very important role in the economy. 

Summary

Beans and vegetables are the fruits or seeds of a group of plants called Fabaceae. Normally eaten all over the world, they are rich in fibre and significant nutrients and minerals. They're additionally an extraordinary source of vegetarian protein. It can be integrated into soups, tacos, mixed greens, and different recipes. Beans and vegetables have various medical advantages. Through this article, you can better understand what are leguminous plants, where legumes plant grow and how are legumes plant grown. These plants are very useful, the reasons are already discussed in the article.