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Protein in pulses
Mian Anwar Tariq
Protein is the most essential component of human diet. It is required for body growth and its repair for all ages. The best and important source is animal protein but it is too expensive, hence out of reach of commonman.
The plant-derived protein is crude in nature which too is becoming costly for common people. It is for this reason that despite Pakistan being an agricultural country it has to import pulses worth Rs3 billion per annum.
There are four major pulses, moong beans, mash, gram and lentils. The former two are harvested in early winter while the latter ones are sown in the Rabi season. On an average, an individual Pakistani consumes 6-7 kg of pulses annually. The protein contents of a few crops are shown in the table.
CROPS PROTEIN LYSINE TRYPTOPHANE METHIONINE
Gram 17.1 0.49 0.04 0.11
Masoor 25.1 0.38 0.05 0.04
Mash 24.0 0.43 0.07 0.09
Moong beans 24.0 0.43 0.04 0.10
Wheat 11.08 0.14 0.07 0.12
Rice 8.05 0.23 0.06 0.18
Chick pea (gram) is grown over 11 million hectares producing 60,000 tons of grains. Its major area falls in Punjab which is a rain-fed region. While the average yield in Sindh is 800 kg per hectare it is 600 kg in Punjab. The yield in Sindh is higher because it is grown in canal-irrigated areas.
Masoor (lentils) is grown over more than 60,000 hectares producing 30,000 tons,largely sown in barani areas of Punjab.
Since there is scarcity of canal irrigation in the upcoming season, which is expected up to 35 per cent, pulses can gainfully be grown in rice tract of Sindh and Punjab, where the average yield potential is 5,000 kg per hectare.
Land preparation: Both gram and lentil are predominantly grown in barani areas, as single crop a year. Therefore, after the harvest of these crops the land is given deep ploughing before the advent of monsoon, so as to conserve maximum moisture in the soil for better crop production because its availability is limited during the growing season. In such areas, weeds pose a great hazard in reaping maximum harvest by robbing both nutrients, soil moisture at the same time competing for sun shine. The debris of the last crop may be destroyed so as to avoid invasion of disastrous disease, the gram blight.
Sowing time: The optimum sowing time of both pulses varies from tract to tract in the country ranging from mid-September to mid-November. Those who have small holding can have inter-cropping with September-sown sugar cane. This rotation shall have beneficial effect for cane by the addition of atmospheric nitrogen into the soil.
Varieties: Since gram crop is greatly affected by gram blight and yellowing of foliage hence varieties have been hybridized bearing resistance to both of them which have been recommended for general cultivation. According to grain size in gram, there are three types; small size for dal and basan (gram flour), medium size and bold size (kabali). The lentil is of two types, the normal small size and bold (Malka Masoor).
C-44: It is commonly grown covering 60-70 per cent of the gram area in Punjab. Its seed is bold, therefore it fetches higher price in the market. This variety is affected by yellowing of leaves if irrigated early. The other varieties are C-727, CM-88, Punjab-91, Piadyar-91 and Noor-91.
Masoor 93: This cultivar commands a very large proportion of area in all the provinces equally. Under ideal conditions it has the genetic capability of to producing a maximum of 4,000 kg grain per hectare. However, an ordinary grower can easily harvest 2,500 kg grain per hectare in rice tract. The growing of lentil can greatly improve the financial condition of growers.
Seed rate: In case of gram, 20-24 kg seed shall be sufficient to raise 85-90,000 plants per acre, with a distance of one foot, row to row and 6-8 inches plant to plant. To have desirable plant population of lentil crop, 10 kg seed will be sufficient to grow one acre.
Seed inoculation: It is indeed most desirable to treat the seed of legume crops so as to harvest higher yield with Rhizobium specifically for both. The bacterium-coated seed helps to induce nitrogen fixing nodules on the plant roots. These nodules enrich the soil by adequately fixing atmospheric nitrogen for the crop and following it.
Fertilizer requirements: Since gram and lentil belong to legume family they need more of phosphorus rather than nitrogen. In terms of bags 1-1/2 bags of diammonium phosphate of 1/2 bag of urea and 1-1/2 bags of triple super phosphate will be sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements. This dose of fertilizer may be added at the time of sowing.
Water requirements: Normal rains during Monsoon and during crop season are usually sufficient for good harvest. However, dry season seriously affects the yields. In case of irrigated areas especially in rice tract, one irrigation at flowering stage will induce more flowering and pod formation consequently results in good yields.
Weed control: The weed control is of paramount importance to harvest good yields. It is of course more important to control them through removal, either manually or mechanically, which also helps in conservation of much needed moisture.
Diseases: Clean cultivation and resistant varieties can help overcome wilt,blight and rust diseases.
Storage: There are a number of insects which cause considerable damage during storage and infestation may as well deteriorate the quality of grain. Hence to avoid the loss the bags and the store may be cleaned and fumigated.
Tips for a good yield
* conserve moisture in rain-fed areas.
* sow in rice tract for higher yields and better returns.
* select recommended varieties.
* use recommended seed rate.
* apply Rhizobium to seed
* sow at optimum time of the region.
* proper removal of obnoxious weeds.
* control insects.
* harvest in the morning when plants are still green to avoid shattering of pods.
* store in clean bags and fumigate the stores.
Source: Business Recorder
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