Question

Which one of the following is a leguminous crop?
A). Pulses
B). Jawar
C). Millets
D). Sesamum

Answer 1

Hint: Legumes are flowering plants of the Fabaceae family which is also called the pea family. The distinctive feature of these plants is its fruit which is a pod. Most pods are dehiscent in nature. Legumes are extremely rich in protein and are grown for human consumption as well as for forage.

Complete answer: Most legumes are grown in tropical and warm subtropical areas but many commercially significant legumes are grown in temperate areas too. The legume pod can have different shapes and sizes like flat, winged, thick, thin, straight, coiled, short, long, woody, fleshy etc.
Let us look at the options given to us.
Option (A) Pulses are edible seeds of the legume plants. The term pulse is used only for crops which are grown for its dry seeds. Dry beans, dry broad beans, dry peas, chickpeas, cow peas, pigeon peas, lentils, Bambara beans, vetches, lupins are the kinds of pulses recognized by the Food and Agriculture Organization.
Option (B) Jawar is also known as sorghum and is a cereal grain plant belonging to the grass family Poaceae. Known for its starchy seeds, this plant is grown in hot arid regions as it is drought and heat resistant.
Option (C ) Millets are also members of the Poaceae (grass ) family and are grown for their small edible seeds. Ragi and bajra are examples of millets.
Option (D) Sesamum is a genus that belongs to the Pedaliaceae family and has about 20 species under it. The most popular plant here is the sesame which is a type of oilseed crop.

Hence, The correct answer is Option A.

Note: Legumes are of immense importance for agriculture. Roots of leguminous plants have a bacteria called the Rhizobium which help convert atmospheric nitrogen into nitrates and nitrites for plants to consume. While pulses refer to the dry seeds of leguminous plants, it is important to note that there are some legumes which are harvested while green, like snow peas, edamame and green beans.