Legume: fruit of Fabaceae plants
legume, fruit of plants in the pea family (Fabaceae). Most legumes are dehiscent fruits that release their seeds by splitting open along two seams, though some, such as peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) and carobs (Ceratonia siliqua), do not naturally open. The fruits come in a variety of sizes and shapes; many, however, are long and narrow and bear their seeds in a single line. At maturity, legume fruits are usually dry and papery or hard and woody; the legumes of certain food crops, such as snow peas (variety of Pisum sativum), edamame (Glycine max), and green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), are harvested while still green and fleshy.
Legumes furnish food for humans and animals and provide edible oils, fibres, and raw material for plastics. Many are grown for their edible seeds, which are high in protein and contain many of the essential amino acids.
Legumes are plants belonging to the Fabaceae plant family. They are dicots...
Legumes and Legume Nitrogen Fixation
Leguems have evolved a unique ability to partner with soil bacteria to convert atmospheric nitrogen gas into a plant-useable form of nitrogen. Legume species allow specific strains of bacteria to form nodules on their root hairs. Legume nitrogen fixation is a symbiotic process because both partners benefit. Plants receive access to nitrogen in a form that they need for their growth and, in exchange, the bacteria receive energy to support bacterial growth in the form of carbon from plant photosynthesis as well as physical protection within the root nodules. As a result of this symbiotic process, legumes tend to be higher in nitrogen than other plant species, which can improve soil nitrogen availability, reduce (often eliminate) the need for nitrogen fertilizers, and increase the protein content of legume seeds that can be beneficial for human health.
Examples of Legume Crops
There are a broad range of legume plants used in agriculture. Legumes that have been selected for their seed production, such as dry beans, are also known as pulses. Pulse crops are important components of human diets globally due to their high protein and fiber content. Some legumes, such as soybean, have also been selected for high oil content in their seeds. Other legumes have been selected for their vegetative growth and are fed to livestock as forages, such as the perennial legume alfalfa. Some legumes are also grown as cover crops that are not harvested to increase soil nitrogen availability for the next crop.