Plant Name        Vigna mungo   

                Common name:  Black Gram      

                Marathi:               Gavthi udid      

                Hindi:                     Urad daal          

                English:                  Black gram       

                Jawhar:                  Gavathi udid   

Identification guide

General

Black gram is an erect, hairy, bushy, annual plant with a well-developed taproot, growing 30 - 100cm tall. The stem is diffusely branched from the base. Sometimes the plant adopts a twining habit

Stems

profusely branched from the base

Leaves 

trifoliate with ovate leaflets

Flowers

yellow, small, papilionaceous flowers

Fruits   

cylindrical, erect and hairy pod, broad with a short hooked beak. It contains 4-10 ellipsoid black seeds. 

Habit / Habitat

 Habit:

Leguminous plant

Habitat:

It is cultivated crop and has poor tolerance to wet tropical climates. It requires rich black or loamy, well-drained soils.

Occurrence

Black gram has originated from central Asia. It was domesticated in India and now found in many tropical areas of Africa and Madagascar.     

Edible parts

World wide use:                              Young seedpods,  Seeds.

Used by tribal community in Jawhar:      Seeds

Method of consumption

Jawhar tribal:    Seeds are boiled and cooked in the form of curry, vegetable or soup.

Medicinal use

In traditional medicine, the seed is used for its suppurative, cooling and astringent properties. For example, it is ground into a powder, moistened and applied as a poultice on abscesses.

Nutritional and medicinal information

Nutritive Significance:

Nutrition of Black gram, 100 gm

Sr. No Parameters Daily % Value

1. Total fats 0
2. Cholesterol 0
3. Sodium 1
4. Potassium 28
5. Total Carbohydrate 19
6. Dietary fiber 72
7. Protein 50

 Minerals

8. Calcium 13
9. Iron 42
10. Magnesium 66

 Vitamins

11. Vitamin B6 15

Harvesting and preserving

Immature pods can be harvested about 60 - 80 days after sowing. Mature beans can be harvested after 75 - 130 days   

Propagation and Storage

 How to grow it?

It is cultivated

Method of storage

1) Propagules and edible parts: Seeds are non-perishable and are stored in a dry place in gunny bags for over the year. Neem leaves or boric powder is mixed with seeds as an anti-fungal and anti-insect agent.

Other uses         

 It is cultivated as a fodder crop in countries like USA and Australia.         

Classification

Kingdom:            Plantae

Division:              Spermatophyta

Sub-division:     Angiospermae

Class:                    Dicotyledonae

Sub-class:            Polypetalae

Series:                  Calyciflorae

Order:                   Rosales

Family:                Leguminosae

Sub-family:        Papilionaceae

Genus:                Vigna

Species:               mungo

References

http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Vigna+mungo