Group 2 – Outline Notes

Aguirang, Arnel Rox

Anghag, Marc Ruzel Angelu
Demegillo, Leonel

Objectives:

• Discuss the Characteristics of the Legume Family

• Name some Important Legume Food Crops
• Discuss the benefits of Legume
• Introduce other Legumes of Interest

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LEGUME FAMILY

• Most members of this dicot family share a very similar flower and fruit structure.
• The five-petaled flower is irregular, with bilateral symmetry, and has been described as either
butterfly-shaped or boat-shaped.
• The fruit is a pod, or legume, with one row of seeds; the seeds contain two prominent food-
storing cotyledons (dicotyledons).
• Legumes are important food staple because they are rich in both oil and protein
• Their protein is close to animal meat in quality. Legumes are called “poor man’s protein”
because of its they are abundant and inexpensive.
• The presence of root nodules in legumes are responsible for its high protein content
• This is caused by Nitrogen fixing bacteria that inhabit the nodules of legume plants.

IMPORTANT LEGUME FOOD CROPS

• Legumes have been cultivated for thousands of years in both the Old and New Worlds.
IMPORTANT LEGUME FOOD CROPS: Beans and Peas

• To most people, the word Legume refers to beans and peas.

• Beans come in all shapes, sizes, and colors: kidney beans, lima beans, pinto beans, navy
beans, green beans, wax beans, and butter beans are just a few of the many types of beans
around the world.
o They are good source of proteins (values ranging from 17% to 31% and the average
about 25%)
o Though mostly beans are known for its dry seed, some variety of bean has edible pods.
o Beans can tolerate all kind of soil like most legumes, and can be grown world wide
o Vicia faba a bean cultivated Mediterranean region could sometimes cause favism—
technically, hemolytic anemia (the lysis of red blood cells).
 • Peas- the term pea, like bean, denotes dozens of different kinds of edible seeds that have been
cultivated for millennia. Biologically, the most famous pea is the garden pea, Pisum sativum,
which Gregor Mendel used for his famous genetics’ experiments.
o Nutritionally, peas are also a good source of protein, with averages about 21%.
o Peas are grown in cooler seasons unlike beans.
o The pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) is an important crop in India, East Africa, and the
Caribbean. It is a nitrogen-fixing legume that can tolerate drought conditions and had
been cultivated for thousands of years. Pigeon pea has a protein content of 27%
o The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in India
selected the pigeon pea as on of the crops to be researched in a breeding program,
Producing a hybrid pea. This was the first-time hybrid seed had been created in a
legume,
o However, one disadvantage is that the hybrid seed must be purchased every time a field
is planted. To solve this, there is an ongoing project to teach the women in rural villages
to produce the hybrid seed for themselves.
IMPORTANT LEGUME FOOD CROPS: Peanuts

• Peanuts, also known as goobers and groundnuts, are originally native to South America but are
grown more extensively today in other parts of the world.
• In the sixteenth century, Spanish explorers discovered peanuts growing in South America and
took them back to Europe.
• With 45% to 50% oil and 25% to 30% protein, the peanut is a highly nutritious seed that is used
in many ways.
• The peanut, Arachis hypogaea, is one of nature’s more unusual plants. After pollination, the
flower stalk elongates downward, pushing the developing fruit into the soil. It is here,
underground, that the fruit matures into a pod, characteristically with two seeds (peanuts) in a
shell.
• Product such as Peanut butter (is a uniquely American food, first developed by a St. Louis
physician in the 1890s as a nutritious and easily digested food for invalids who had difficulty
chewing) Peanut oils in margarine, shortening, salad dressing, cooking oil, certain soaps, and a
variety of cosmetic and industrial products, such as shaving cream, plastics, and paints, are the
uses of peanuts.
• The pressed cake (excess from the extracted oil) can be used as a livestock feed.
• The cultivated peanut is known to be a natural hybrid of two wild diploid species, Arachis
duranensis and Arachis ipaensis and occurred between 4,000–6,000 years ago in northern
Argentina.
IMPORTANT LEGUME FOOD CROPS: Soybeans

• The soybean, Glycine max, is relatively new to the West but has been esteemed in Asia for
centuries. It was considered one of the sacred crops of the ancient Chinese, and evidence
suggests that it was domesticated in northern China at least 3,000 years ago.
• It has often been referred to as the Cinderella crop. Reasons for the success story are the
versatility of the soybean and its suitability for growing.
• Soybeans cannot be consumed raw because of the presence of a trypsin inhibitor. Trypsin is a
digestive enzyme, and the presence of this inhibitor interferes with normal protein digestion in
 humans. When cooked, soybeans can be eaten whole because the inhibitor is inactivated by
heat.
• Most often, however, Soybeans are modified into a paste, curd, or “milk.” Soy sauce traditionally
is made by fermenting soybeans in brine. In the preparation of soy milk, beans are soaked in
water and pureed. The mixture is then heated, and the liquid soy milk ́ is poured off. Tofu, or
bean curd, is prepared from curds of soy milk and is extremely versatile, being used in main
dishes in both Japanese and Chinese cuisine.
• The use of tofu, soy milk, and other soy foods has received a great deal of attention because
they contain isoflavones, which are phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens are plant-based
compounds that mimic estrogen in the body.
• Soybean dishes include edamame, miso and tofu.
• Soybeans are among the richest foods known, with 13% to 25% oil and 30% to 50% protein,
depending on the variety. Overall, they have a higher protein content than lean beef.
• Another product is textured vegetable protein (TVP), produced by spinning the soy protein into
long, slender fibers. TVP can pick up flavors from other substances and can therefore be used
as a meat extender.
• Lecithin, a common food additive, is a lipid extracted from soybeans. Added to many packaged
foods, such as cake mixes, instant beverages, whipped toppings, and salad dressings, it
stabilizes them and extends their shelf life.

o Soy Oil

▪ Although oils are typically characterized by the nature of the component fatty acids, they
can also be categorized as drying oils, semidrying oils, or nondrying oils.
▪ Drying oils react with oxygen in the air to form a thin, waterproof, elastic film; linseed oil,
tung oil, soy oil, and safflower oil are commercially important drying oils.
▪ Nondrying oils, which remain liquid for prolonged periods on exposure to the air,
include peanut oil, olive oil, rapeseed (canola) oil, and castor bean oil.
▪ Semidrying oils are intermediate between the other types and dry slowly or at elevated
temperatures. Cottonseed, sunflower, sesame, and corn oils are included in this
category.
▪ Soy oil is one of the leading vegetable oils in the world today in terms of production,
industrial use, and human consumption. Soy oil has hundreds of uses, ranging from
multiple food uses to the production of non-consumables, such as soy-based inks, soy
crayons, and biodiesel fuel.
▪ The drying ability of soy oil has made it of value for many industrial processes, with
recent successes in the production of inks. Soy oil is rapidly replacing the petroleum
used as a carrier or vehicle for the pigments in traditional inks.
▪ Soy oil can be utilized as a biodiesel fuel. Soybean biodiesel in one of the two major
alternative biofuels in the United States.
▪ Soybean biodiesel, with its lower energy costs, produces an energy gain of 93%.
Burning soybean biodiesel in place of diesel lowers the same emissions by 41% or
more.
OTHER LEGUMES OF INTEREST

• Legumes have many and varied uses; in terms of sheer numbers, legumes are by far the most
utilized plants. Above and beyond their worth as a food source, legumes are valued as timber,
forage, spices, and ornamentals and as sources of medicines, insecticides, resins, and dyes.
A Supertree for Forestry
o Leucaena, or lead tree, is a widely distributed genus of woody plants native to the New
World.
o Leucaena leucocephala is a tropical tree that gained fame as one of the fastest-growing
species of woody plants.
o Some varieties have been reported to grow as much as 9 meters (30 feet) per year,
earning it the nickname “Jack’s beanstalk.”
o The protein-rich seeds in young pods of several Leucaena species are used as food for
the natives of Mexico and Central America.
o The tree can be grown for its wood, to be used in furniture or construction or converted
into pulp to make paper and paper products.
o Like many legumes, Leucaena has a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria
and because of this, Leucaena has been used as a “nurse” tree, providing nutrients and
shade for coffee, pepper, cacao, vanilla, and other shade-loving crops.
o Leucaena has also been utilized as a forage, since herbivores readily consume its
nutritious foliage.
o Another potential market is developing this versatile tree for gum production.
Forage Crops
o Worldwide, many legumes are planted and grown exclusively as pasture or forage
crops. Their high protein content, which makes them ideal as a source of food for
humans, also makes them desirable as animal fodder.
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)
o Commonly called lucerne in other countries, alfalfa has been cultivated as a
forage crop since ancient times.
o The Romans recognized this crop as a superior feed for their horses; later the
Spanish introduced alfalfa to the New World for the same purpose.
o One of the largest markets for alfalfa today is as a dehydrated feed for livestock
(cattle, horses), pets, and laboratory animals (gerbils, rabbits, mice).
o Alfalfa sprouts are recently observed at the salad bar and as a sandwich
condiment.
o Other forage legumes include the clovers, sweet clovers, vetches, lespedezas,
and bird’s-foot trefoil.
Beans of the Future

• Because of their nutritional value, there has been considerable interest and research in
discovering “new” varieties of legumes. Ethnobotanists, such as Noel Vietmeyer of the
National Academy of Sciences, have spent years searching the globe—in particular,
developing countries—for little-known crops that have the potential to become major
food sources.
Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus)
o Native to Southeast Asia and New Guinea, this plant is valued because all parts
of the plant are edible and highly nutritious.
o The pod, which has four extensions, or “wings,” running along its length, is edible
either raw or cooked.
o The flowers, when cooked, are said to taste like mushrooms
o The tendrils that support the vine taste like asparagus
o The leaves are eaten like spinach
o The root is tuberous and can be eaten like the potato, but its protein content is
much higher
o Of greatest value are the seeds, which are similar to soybeans, with a protein
content of 37% and an oil content of 20%.
o Some scientists believe that the winged bean may be as important to the future
of tropical agriculture as the soybean has proved to be in temperate agriculture.
Groundnut (Apios americana)
o a nitrogen fixing legume native throughout eastern North America and,
historically, a major food source for the eastern tribes.
o Both its seeds and golf ball-sized tubers were collected from wild stands and
eaten.
o Numerous tubers are produced along the plant’s rhizome.
o Today there is interest in domesticating this plant for its nutritious (12% to 13%
protein) and versatile tubers, which can be boiled, baked, or fried.
Yam bean (Pachyrhizus erosus)
o Also known as jicama (derived from its Aztec name), it is a tropical vine grown for
its large, tuberous roots, which are good sources of proteins and carbohydrates
(sugars and starch).
o Primary agricultural crop in Mexico and Central America
o Roots are generally harvested before seeds are produced and can reach a
weight of 23 kilograms (50 pounds), but those harvested average about 1.8
kilograms (4 pounds).
o Jicama is one of the most efficient nitrogen-fixing legumes, and in Central
America it has been intercropped with corn.
o Seeds, pods, leaves, and stems contain rotenone, a natural insecticide
o There is interest in developing commercial enterprises for the extraction of
rotenone from the seeds.
o The seeds are also good sources of high-quality polyunsaturated oil that is
comparable to the oils of cottonseed and groundnut, but the high concentration of
rotenone makes the oil inedible without processing.
o The roots can be eaten raw or cooked in a variety of ways.
o In Mexico, slices of the fresh root are mixed in vegetable and fruit salads or
sprinkled with lime juice and eaten alone. Slices of the roots are made into a
popular sweet by soaking them in syrup.
o In India, the tubers are used in chutneys and to make a drink called kheer.
o In Asia, the pods, which are similar to those of soybean, are eaten.
 o Preparations from the roots were used to cure fevers and to treat peeling or
itching skin.
o Tinctures from the seeds have been used to treat mange, head lice, and cattle
louse.

References:
Levetin, E. & McMahon K. (2016). Plants & Society. McGraw-Hill Education.