Black Gram

Black gram

Scientific name: Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper

Bangla/local name: ‘Mashkalai’

Taxonomic position According to Cronquist (1988)

Botanical Description of Black Gram

Habit: cultivated annual herb

Figure: Field View of Black gram

Figure: A Black gram plant with fruit

Root:  deep rooted tap root system.

The internal structure i.e. Anatomy of Root

Figure: Root Anatomy of Black gram

Stem: Erect to sub-erect, highly branching and hairy

The internal structure of stem i.e. Stem Anatomy

Figure: Stem Anatomy of Black gram

Leaf: alternate, compound, trifoliate, dark green, leaflets ovate

The internal structure of Leaf i.e. Leaf Anatomy

Figure: Leaf anatomy of black gram

Inflorescence: an axillary raceme

Flower: zygomorphic, complete, papilionaceous

Calyx: Sepal 5, gamosepalous

Corolla: petal 5, divided into standard, wing and keel; aestivation vexilary.

Androecium: stamen 10 (9+1) diadelphous

Gynoecium: Carpel one, style spirally twisted, ovary superior, placentation marginal.

Fruit: Pod with densely trichomed

Seed: Non-endospermic, globur usually green

Figure: Seed of black gram

Economic Importance: It is one of the most important pulses. The dry beans are used as dal. The sprouted seeds are used as health tonic. The plant is used as green manure. The husked dried plant is a good fodder. The seeds are acrid, sweet, digestible, laxative and antipyretic.

Table 1. Black gram varieties released by Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Gazipur and Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA), Mymensingh, Bangladesh