The annual Vigna mungo, also known as Black Gram, Urad Bean, Black Matpe, and Black Mung Bean, is a crop that can grow in many different kinds of weather. Its young seed pods and seeds can be cooked. Even the leaves are tasty. The seeds are used as a poultice on abscesses in traditional Chinese medicine. The soap-like properties of seed flour come from the presence of saponins. Since the plant can absorb and use nitrogen from the air, it is sometimes used as a green manure crop.
Source: Pinterest
see also: all about Trianthema Portulacastrum
What is black gram?
Commonly called black gram, Vigna mungo is an old South Asian crop that is counted amongst the most coveted pulses in India. It is widely used in Indian cooking. In India, black gram is a very common pulse crop farmed in Rabi and Kharif. It is widely grown in northern Bangladesh, Nepal, and southern India.
Black gram: Physical features
Black gram can reach a height of 100 centimetres and is characterised by an erect, hairy, bushy form with a well-developed tap root. The pods have a narrow, cylindrical shape; inside each pod are 4–10 tiny, black seeds. Three individual leaflets are oval on each leaf. There are clusters of bright yellow flowers.
Black gram: Key facts
| Common name | Black Gram, Urad Bean, Black Matpe, Black Mung Bean |
| Botanical name | Vigna mungo |
| Family | Fabaceae |
| Temperature preference | 25-35℃ |
| Height | 30-100 cm |
| Rainfall | 650-900 mm |
| soil | Loamy or clayey soil |
| pH of soil | 4.5-7.5 |
How to grow black gram?
Selection of seed
- Choose black gram seeds that haven’t been tampered with and are guaranteed to be bug, pest, and disease free.
- You can’t have any dust, weed seeds, or anything else floating around there.
- The seeds must be genetically pure and able to grow.
Planting strategy
- Use a tractor-drawn ferti-cum-seed drill to sow in a straight line.
- Application of fertilisers and seed sowing at the same time requires the use of a fertiliser and seed drill (or “ferti-cum-seed drill”).
- You shouldn’t plant your seeds any deeper than 5 or 6 centimetres.
Ideal timing
- The ideal time to plant Vigna mungo during the Kharif season is the second two weeks of June (15–30).
- Summer sowing window is the third week of February through the first week of April.
- Planting too late should be avoided.
Seed processing
- Thiram at a rate of 2.5 grams per kilogram of seed should be applied.
- Rhizobium culture is recommended for atmospheric N fixation.
Source: Pinterest
Fertilising
It’s possible that the seed crops won’t thrive on just the basic fertilisers. During the period of rapid crop development and seed formation, it is crucial to supply adequate nutrition. Foliar feeding is used to supply the nutrients required by the quickly growing pulse.
Weeding management
It is recommended to perform one or two rounds of hand weeding up to 40 days after sowing, though this will vary with the intensity of the weeds. Pre-planting herbicide applications, such as 1 kg active ingredient of Fluchloralin (Basalin) in 800 to 1,000 litres of water, can effectively reduce weed growth.
Black gram: Care tips
- Once every three years, do a deep summer ploughing.
- When deciding how much fertiliser to use, it’s important to consider the results of a soil test.
- Varieties that are resistant to or tolerant of yellow mosaic disease are selected, such as Uttara, Shekhar 3, Ujala, VBN, Pratap urd-1, etc.
- Timely weeding is crucial.
- Take an ecologically sustainable stance toward plant protection.
Black gram: Uses
- The tender young pods of Vigna mungo can be cooked and eaten like a vegetable.
- When making bread, pancakes, waffles, etc., they can be ground into flour to add protein.
- They are an important part of the Indian fermented rice and lentil cakes called idli and dosa.
- The saponin content of the seed flour makes it suitable for use as a soap replacement. It softens and soothes the skin.
- The seed has cooling and astringent properties. It’s ground into a powder, moistened and applied to abscesses.
What are the benefits of black gram?
There are many benefits of Vigna mungo. These include:
- It increases the fertility of the soil.
- It aids digestion.
- It improves your skin’s health.
- It boosts your energy levels.
- It increases bone mineral density.
- It helps diabetics.
Black gram: Side effects
Vigna mungo consumption increases blood uric acid. It can stimulate kidney stone calcification.
Housing.com POV
Black gram, an easily available ingredient in Indian kitchens is a power house of nutrients. This dal has ayurvedic and allopathic properties and will help keep a check on blood sugar, hyper tension, skin problems etc. This crop is cultivated during Kharif throughout India. By following the above mentioned guidelines, one can successfully grow black urad dal and enjoy a bountiful harvest of legumes.
FAQs
Where did black gram originate?
Black gram originated in India and is the main ingredient for Dal Makhani, Dosa, Chilla etc.
Can I eat urad dal daily?
Urad dal has nutrients such as iron, folate, calcium, potassium and other vitamins. By incorporating them in your daily diet will be beneficial to the heart, digestive system, skin, bone, hair, etc.
Is black gram beneficial to improve muscle mass?
Yes, black gram has lot of protein content helps improved the muscle mass.
What type of soil is optimal for growing Vigna mungo?
Loamy soil is suitable for growing Vigna mungo.
When is the best time to cultivate Vigna mungo?
The Kharif (rainy) and summer months are ideal for its cultivation.
Is black gram called urad dal?
Yes black gram is also called urad dal and is a good source of protein.
Which dal has the highest protein?
Chick peas, Rajma, Black gram, Green Moong, White Peas etc. have high protein content.
How much protein is there in 100 gms of black gram?
Around 23g protein is there in 100 gms of black gram.
| Got any questions or point of view on our article? We would love to hear from you. Write to our Editor-in-Chief Jhumur Ghosh at jhumur.ghosh1@housing.com |