Black Gram

Black gram or urid is one of the important pulse crop in India. Black gram (Vigna mungo L) reported to be originated in India. Its references have also been found in Vedic texts such as Kautilya’s ‘Arthasasthra’ and in ‘Charak Samhita’ lends support to the presumption of its origin in India. India is the largest producer and consumer of Black gram in the world.

Black gram is a rich protein food. It contains about 26 percent protein, which is almost three times that of cereals. Black gram supplies a major share of protein requirement of vegetarian population of the country. It is consumed in the form of split pulse as well as whole pulse, which is an essential supplement of cereal based diet. The combination of dal-chawal (pulse-rice) or dal-roti (pulse-wheat bread) is an important ingredient in the average Indian diet. The biological value improves greatly, when wheat or rice is combined with Black gram because of the complementary relationship of the essential amino acids such as arginine, leucine, lysine, isoleucine , valine and phenylalanine etc.

In addition, being an important source of human food and animal feed, it also plays an important role in sustaining soil fertility by improving soil physical properties and fixing atmospheric nitrogen. Being a drought resistant crop, it is suitable for dryland farming and predominantly used as an intercrop with other crops. The chemical composition of Black gram is given as under:

Major Black gram producing states in India

Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal

State-wise Black gram major commercial varieties

Andhra Pradesh

Rabi - LBG-611, LBG-17, LBG-645, LBG-685, LBG-648, LBG-639

Gujarat

Kharif - T-9, TAU-1

Karnataka

Kharif and Rabi - KARGAUN, TAU-1, T-9

Madhya Pradesh

Kharif - Pant-U-19, TPU-4, P.D.U.-4, R.U.-2, Pant-30

Maharashtra

Kharif - T-9, Lal Urd,
Hara Urad, Kale Urad

Orissa

Summer - Pant U-26

Rabi - KV-301,TU-942

Kharif and Rabi - WBU-108

Kharif and Summer - Pant U-19, Sarala, Pant U-30

Kharif, summer and Rabi - T-9

Punjab

Kharif - Mash-338, Mash-1

Rajasthan

Kharif - T-9, PU-19, R.B.U.-38, T-9

Summer - T-9

Tamil Nadu

Kharif and Rabi - ADT3, ADT4, ADT5,
RM2, TMV1, VBN2,
VAMBAN1, VBN3

Kharif, Rabi and Summer - VBN(BG)4

Uttar Pradesh

Kharif and summer - I.P.U. 94-1,
Narendra Urd-1, T-9, T-27,
P.D.U. –1,Pant U-19, Pant U-35,
Pant U-30, Shekhar-2

Kharif - T-65, Azad-1

West Bengal

Kharif and Rabi - T-122, T-27, T-9