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Overview

Legumes have been part of the world’s agricultural systems since the earliest of times. They are grown primarily for their grain seed called pulse, for livestock fodder and silage, and as enrichment for the soil. Legume agriculture acts as a primary source of nitrogen for many cropping systems, and in addition are a valuable food source for humans and domestic animals. Legumes are often used in rotation with much larger trading grain crops.

Well-known members of the legume family include alfalfa, peas, beans, lentils, soybeans, peanuts, lupin bean, clover, mesquite, carob and tamarind. The legume fruit is a simple dry fruit that develops from a simple carpel that opens along a seam on two sides. A common name for this type of fruit is a pod, although this term also applies to a few other fruit types, such as that of vanilla (a capsule) and of radish (a silique).

Legumes most notable feature is that they generally have a symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria in their root nodules. It is for that reason, they play a key role in crop rotation.

RLF has Specialty Liquid Fertiliser products for all types of agriculture, including legumes. RLF Specialty Liquid Fertiliser products deliver a complete and balanced nutrient package for legume crops. They are designed to be either broad-spectrum, crop-specific or have single element nutrients to address crop and soil deficiencies and they are perfect for the cultivation of legume crops.

Fast Facts

  • The world’s top legume producing countries are very diverse because of the crop types that exist within this crop type group. Groundnut (or peanut) has become the most popular human food source from all of the legume crop types, especially in tropical Asian countries.
  • The top 10 peanut (legume) growing countries are responsible for about 95% of world production. In 2016 these countries were China (44.7%), India (16.3%), USA (9.8%), Nigeria (9.1%), Myanmar (4.8%), Indonesia (4.5%), Argentina (2.6%), Chad (1.9%), Senegal (1.4%), Ghana (1.0%). Rest of the World (3.8%)
  • Peanuts (legumes) are thought to have first been domesticated and cultivated in the valleys of Paraguay and Bolivia some 7,000 years ago.
  • Peanuts (legumes) are known by many names around the world – earth-nuts, ground-nuts, goober peas, pygmy nuts or monkey nuts. But curiously it is not a nut at all.
  • Peanuts (legumes) are annual herbaceous plants growing 30cm – 50cm tall and their flowers are a typical peaflower in shape, coloured yellow with reddish veining.
  • Although the peanut (legumes) was used as a garden crop by early civilisations it was mostly used as an animal feed stock.
  • Thousands of peanut (legumes) cultivars are grown throughout the world but four major cultivar groups stand out as being the most popular. They are Spanish, Runner, Virginia and Valencia.
  • Peanuts have many uses. They can be eaten raw, used in cooking and made into solvents and oils. They are also present in some medicines, cosmetics and
    textile materials.
  • Across the world peanuts are one of the most popular ingredients in popular confections such as peanut butter, candy and chocolate bars, peanut brittle. They are most popular however as roasted and salted nuts.
  • Peanut Oil is often used in cooking because of its mild flavour and relatively high smoke point. Because it has high monounsaturated content it is considered more healthy than saturated oils.
  • Peanuts have great nutritional value. They provide over 30 essential nutrients to the human body and are a good source of niacin, folate, fibre, vitamin E and magnesium.
  • Chickpea (legumes) is rich source of dietary fibre and proteins. It contains vitamins B6 and B9 and minerals such as iron and magnesium.
  • The leaves of chickpea (legumes) are used for the manufacture of blue
    (indigo-like) dyes.
  • Chickpea (legumes) is also known as garbanzo, and originated from Turkey, Syria
    and Iran.
  • The Soluble fibre in lentils (legumes) helps keep cholesterol down and blood sugars under control making it a popular choice for consumers, particularly those in developed countries.

The World’s Top Legume-Producing Countries


RLF Products for Legume Crops

SEED OR SOAK
CROP NUTRITION
FOLIAR NPK
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Fertigation
Benefits Specialised Product for Irrigation Dynamo High-K contains chelates, soluble carbohydrates, phosphorylated metaboli...
Fertigation
Soil
Specialised Product for Irrigation Plant Milk High-N contains 11 essential nutrients, chelates, soluble carbohydrates, phos...
Seed Priming
Seed
Added Nutrition for Legumes, Rice and Corn BSN Ultra benefits from the addition of two extra nutrients – potassium and ma...
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