Envoy at 11:03, 12 July 2007

2007-07-12T11:03:01Z

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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = Pigeon pea
| image = Guandu.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Fabales]]
| familia = [[Fabaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Cajanus]]''
| species = '''''C. cajan'''''
| binomial = ''Cajanus cajan''
| binomial_authority = ([[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]) Millsp.
}}

The '''pigeon pea''' (''Cajanus cajan'', syn. ''Cajanus indicus'') is a member of the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Fabaceae]]. Other common names are '''arhar, red gram, toovar/toor'''([[Hindi]]/[[Marathi]]), '''togari''' ([[Kannada]]), '''Kandi''' ([[Telugu language|Telugu]]), '''gandul, guandul, Congo pea, Gungo pea, Gunga pea,''' and '''no-eye pea.'''

The cultivation of the pigeon pea goes back at least 3000 years. The centre of origin is most likely [[Asia]], from where it travelled to [[East Africa]] and by means of the slave trade to the American continent. Today pigeon peas are widely cultivated in all tropical and semi-tropical regions of both the [[Old World|Old]] and the New World.

[[Image:Cajanus cajan Steve Hurst 1.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Seeds]]
Pigeon pea is an important grain [[legume]] crop of rainfed agriculture in the semi-arid tropics. The [[Indian subcontinent]], Eastern Africa and [[Central America]], in that order, are the world's three main pigeon pea producing regions. Pigeon pea is cultivated in more than 25 tropical and sub-tropical countries, either as a sole crop or intermixed with such [[cereal]]s as [[sorghum]] (''Sorchum bicolor''), [[pearl millet]] (''Pennisetium glaucum''), or [[maize]] (''Zea mays''), or with legumes, e.g. [[peanut]] (''Arachis hypogaea''). Being a legume, pigeon pea enriches soil through symbiotic [[nitrogen fixation]].

== Uses ==
Pigeon peas are both a food crop (dried peas, flour, or green vegetable peas) and a forage/cover crop. The dried peas may be sprouted briefly, then cooked, for a flavor different from the green or dried peas. Sprouting also enhances the digestability of dried pigeon peas via the reduction of indigestible sugars that would otherwise remain in the cooked dried peas. <ref>[http://www.bioline.org.br/request?ja06052 "Effect of Sprouting on invitro digestibility of some locally consumed leguminous seeds".] Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management. Vol. 10, Num. 3, 2006, pp. 55-58</ref>

In [[India]], split pigeon peas (toor [[dal]]) are one of the most popular [[pulses]]—along with [[chickpea]]s (chana), [[urad (bean)|urad]] and [[mung bean|mung]]. It is also called as 'Tuvara Parippu' in [[Kerala]]. In south India a popular dish [[Sambar (dish)|Sambhar]] is made with this. Besides this [[dal]] is also made with pigeon peas.

Pigeon peas are nutritionally important, as they contain high levels of [[protein]] and the important [[amino acid]]s [[methionine]], [[lysine]], and [[tryptophan]]. In combination with [[cereals]], pigeon peas make a well balanced human food.

In some places, such as the [[Dominican Republic]] and [[Hawaii]], pigeon peas are grown for canning.

The woody stems of pigeon peas are used as firewood, fencing and thatch.
In [[Thailand]], pigeon peas are grown as host for [[scale insect]]s which produce [[lac]].

Pigeon peas are in some areas an important crop for [[green manure]]. They can after incorporation provide up to 40 kg nitrogen per hectare.

== Cultivation ==
[[Image:Pigeon_peas2.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Pigeon peas from [[Trinidad and Tobago]]]]
In most areas pigeon peas are grown in association with other row crops such as [[sorghum]], [[pearl millet]], or [[maize]]. Pigeon peas can be of a perennial type, in which the crop can last 3-5 years (although the seed yield drops considerably after the first two years), or an annual type more suitable for grain production.

The crop is cultivated on marginal land by resource-poor farmers, who commonly grow traditional medium- and long-duration (5-11 months) [[landrace]]s. Short duration pigeon peas (3-4 months) suitable for multiple cropping have recently been dev
eloped. Traditionally, the use of such input as fertilizers, weeding, irrigation, and pesticides are minimal, so present yield levels are low (average = 700 kg/hac). Greater attention is now being given to managing the crop because it is in high demand at remunerative prices.

Pigeon peas are very drought resistant and can be grown in areas with less than 650 mm annual rainfall.

World production of pigeon peas is estimated at 46,000 km². About 82% of this is grown in [[India]].

{{Main|List of pigeon pea diseases}}

==See also==
*[[Tofu#Tofu made from other legumes and grains|Tofu made from other legumes and grains]]

==References==
<references/>
[[Category:Faboideae]]
[[Category:Tropical agriculture]]

Pigeon pea - Revision history

Envoy at 11:03, 12 July 2007