What are Legumes? | |
What are Legumes? | |
 | Legumes are a unique plant family - plants which house their seeds in double seamed pods (clovers, peas, beans, lentils, lupins, soybeans, peanuts etc.). Economically important legumes have a special relationship with soil bacteria which transform nitrogen from air into nitrogen that can be used by plants and animals. Pasture legumes and grain legumes (pulses) nourish the soil as well as the animals which eat them. |
What are Pulses? | |
 | Pulses are chickpeas, beans, peas, lentils and other cool-season legumes that are grown for human consumption. Soybeans are generally not considered a pulse because they are a summer crop. Pulses are an important source of protein in the diets of many people around the world. In collaboration with national breeding programmes, CLIMA has released a number of pulse varieties. |
What are Pastures? | |
 | Pasture legumes (clovers, medics, etc.) are commonly grown in mixtures with other plants (grasses and broad leaved plants like capeweed) for grazing. Pasture legumes (eg lucerne) can also be grown for valuable hay because of the high protein content. Some of the new pasture species released by CLIMA are grown and harvested as annual plants. CLIMA has also contributed to work on varieties of traditional pasture species. |
What is the Economic Impact of Legumes in Australia? | |
 | Legumes contribute $500 million per annum to the Australian economy from pulses alone. Animal products based on legume pastures are valued in the many billions. Legumes contribute much of the feed for both Australia’s $3 billion per annum wool industry and the meat industries, which are valued at $4 billion per annum for beef and $0.75 billion per annum for lamb. The $2.5 billion Australian wheat industry also benefits significantly from legumes through nitrogen fixation and disease breaks. |
Last updated 11 Oct 2004 16:48
Location: http://www.clima.uwa.edu.au/page/942
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