Question map
Consider the following crops of India: 1. Cowpea 2. Green gram 3. Pigeon pea Which of the statements is/are used as pulse, fodder and green manure?
Explanation
In India, Cowpea, Green gram (Mung bean), and Pigeon pea (Arhar) are versatile leguminous crops used as pulses, fodder, and green manure. Cowpea is a significant pulse crop that also serves as a high-potential summer crop for forage and green cover. Green gram is primarily consumed as a pulse but is also explicitly utilized as a green manure crop to restore soil fertility, with its residues serving as fodder [3]. Pigeon pea is a major pulse (dal) whose green pods are used as vegetables, while its pod and seed husks serve as cattle feed [3]. Furthermore, all three are nitrogen-fixing legumes that enrich soil organic matter and nutrients, making them suitable for green manuring and sustainable farming practices [2]. Their ability to improve soil physical properties and provide high-quality protein makes them integral to Indian agricultural systems [2].
Sources
- [3] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 25: Agriculture > Pulses or Grain Legumes > p. 353
- [2] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 12: Major Crops and Cropping Patterns in India > Pigeon-pea or Arhar/Tur (Cajanus cajan) > p. 29