Cluster Bean (guar)

It is annual arid and semiarid legume crop grown during kharif season in India. The term guar has been evolved from the common use of the crop and its residue as cattle feed. Guar plant produces a cluster of flower and pods therefore, it is also known as cluster bean. Cluster bean is cultivated for its green vegetables and dry pods and as forage crop, and also cultivated for green manure because guar planting increase subsequent crop yields, as this legume crop conserves soil nutrients. A good crop under favorable climatic conditions yields about 300-400 quintals of green fodder or 15 quintals of dry seeds or 60 quintals of green pods per hectare.