Introduction

• Scientific Name: Lens esculenta (musero)
• Family: Leguminaceae

Importance

• Contains 30% protein, 60% carbohydrate, 1% fat and rich in K, P, Ca., Vitamin B,C,E.
• Feed grain to livestock.
• Fix 88.114 kg N/Ha/Year.
• with its high saponin content (3.7-4.6 g/kg) it reduces cholesterol and cardiac diseases.
• contains raffinose that causes flatulence when consumed uncooked or unsoaked.
• The crop adds 5.5 t/ha green matter as green manure.

Plant features

• Just before flowering, leaves start to produce a tendril at the leaf tip.
• Early maturing varieties flower at about the 11th or 12th node stage while late maturing types flower at the 13th or 14th node stage.
• The first few flower clusters on the main stem often shrivel without seed formation (flower abortion).
• Have indeterminate growth habit.