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Cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) / Goruchikkudu

Cluster bean or guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba), known as goruchikkudu in Telugu, is a hardy arid-zone legume cultivated for tender pods (as a vegetable), grain (for feed and food) and industrially for guar gum extracted from the seed endosperm. India contributes about 90% of global production, with Rajasthan alone accounting for roughly 88% of national output (about 91% of national area in 2020-21).

Key characteristics

  • Family: Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
  • India share of global production: ~90%
  • Rajasthan share of India: ~88% of production, ~91% of area (2020-21)
  • Soil preference: sandy loam, well-drained, pH 7-8; salinity-tolerant
  • Industrial use: guar gum extracted from the seed endosperm

Cultivation

Cluster bean grows on a wide range of soils but performs best on well-drained sandy loam and tolerates salinity better than most legumes. It thrives under low rainfall and high temperatures typical of the western Rajasthan arid zone. The crop fixes atmospheric nitrogen through Rhizobium symbiosis and is commonly used in arid-zone rotations with pearl millet. ICAR-CAZRI Jodhpur, in partnership with the Directorate of Pulses Development, leads varietal development and seed-production research for arid-zone India.

Pest and disease profile

Cluster bean shares the legume pest complex with Lablab Chikkudu, including pod borers, jassids, aphids and the legume pod borer Maruca Pod Borer which is a primary constraint in wetter rotations. Alternaria leaf spot and bacterial blight are the most economically important foliar diseases.

Adoption and use

Demand for cluster bean is driven primarily by the guar gum industry, which uses the polysaccharide endosperm as a thickener in food processing and as a hydraulic-fracturing fluid additive in oil and gas extraction. This industrial demand has historically created volatile price cycles, and India remains the world's principal supplier.

See also: Lablab Chikkudu, Maruca Pod Borer.

References

  1. Cluster bean - an important industrial arid legume. ICAR-CAZRI.
  2. Cluster bean. Directorate of Pulses Development, Government of India.