Pulses

Scientific Name: –

A pulse (Latin “puls”, from Ancient Greek “ó“ë‘é“‹‘Ë“‰ pí_ltos, äóěporridgeäóť), sometimes called a “grain legume”, is an annual leguminous crop yielding from one to twelve seeds of variable size, shape, and color within a pod. Pulses are used for food for humans and other animals. Included in the pulses are: dry beans like pinto beans, kidney beans and navy beans; dry peas; lentils; and others.

Like many leguminous crops, pulses play a key role in crop rotation due to their ability to fix nitrogen. To support the awareness on this matter, the United Nations declared 2016 the UN International Year of Pulses.

The words “bean”, “lentil”, and “pulse” may refer to just the seed or to the entire plant.

Back to Glossary Index Page