Introduction

• Blackgram: Vigna mungo
• Greengram: Vigna radiate
• Family: Leguminosae

Importance

• Are excellent source of high-quality protein.
• Sprouted seeds of Green gram contain ascorbic acid, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine; and black gram is rich in phosphoric acid.
• The haulms can be used as green fodder and the husks and split beans as livestock feed.
• Due to deep root system, they bind the soil and hence prevent erosion.
• They are excellent manure that easily decompose when incorporated.
• They are used in making various snacks and dishes or can be eaten as salad, soup and vegetables.
• The estimated N fixation is 63-342 kg/ha/year by green gram.
• They are short duration crops, hence are ideal crops as intercrop and catch-crop.

Origin and distribution

• Origin of mungbean and blackgram is India and Central Asia.

Plant features

A) Black gram:

• semi-erect to spreading, deep rooted, annual shrub (25-50 cm)
• brown to black hairy pod
• small black or dark brown seeds (4-6 g per 100 seed)

B) Green gram:

• Semi-erect to erect or sometimes twining
• Indeterminate, deep rooted, annual herb (25-100 cm)
• Glaborous or short hairs in pods, green and small seeds (3-4 g per 100 seeds).