Physics Wallah is an Indian edtech platform that provides accessible & comprehensive learning experiences to students from Class 6th to postgraduate level. We also provide extensive NCERT solutions, sample paper, NEET, JEE Mains, BITSAT previous year papers & more such resources to students. Physics Wallah also caters to over 3.5 million registered students and over 78 lakh+ Youtube subscribers with 4.8 rating on its app.
We Stand Out because
We provide students with intensive courses with India’s qualified & experienced faculties & mentors. PW strives to make the learning experience comprehensive and accessible for students of all sections of society. We believe in empowering every single student who couldn't dream of a good career in engineering and medical field earlier.
Our Key Focus Areas
Physics Wallah's main focus is to make the learning experience as economical as possible for all students. With our affordable courses like Lakshya, Udaan and Arjuna and many others, we have been able to provide a platform for lakhs of aspirants. From providing Chemistry, Maths, Physics formula to giving e-books of eminent authors like RD Sharma, RS Aggarwal and Lakhmir Singh, PW focuses on every single student's need for preparation.
What Makes Us Different
Physics Wallah strives to develop a comprehensive pedagogical structure for students, where they get a state-of-the-art learning experience with study material and resources. Apart from catering students preparing for JEE Mains and NEET, PW also provides study material for each state board like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and others
Q1 What is the mutual relationship between leguminous plants and Rhizobium bacteria?
Ans. The mutual relationship between leguminous plants and Rhizobium bacteria is known as a symbiotic relationship.
Q2 Name the legumes that are used as major agricultural commodities for processed foods?
Ans. Legumes like soybeans and alfalfa are major agricultural commodities used in processed foods and industrial products.
Q3 What are the health benefits of consuming legumes?
Ans. Legumes contain a high amount of vegetable protein, fiber, and other essential nutrients, which offer major health benefits.
Q4 Do seeds of leguminous plants produce oils?
Ans. Yes, groundnuts and soybeans are seeds of leguminous plants, which are used to produce edible oils
Q5 What are the physical features of leguminous plants?
Ans. Legumes mostly have soft green stems and flowers with five petals, which later grow into pods. A pod usually splits into two halves to release its seeds.
Leguminous Plants: Definition, Types, and Examples
Leguminous plants improve soil fertility naturally and help in sustainable farming. Check out the brief overview of different types of Leguminous plants here.
Nikita Aggarwal28 May, 2025
Among the vast categories of flora, leguminous plants are especially significant due to their unique characteristics and benefits to agriculture and the environment. While enjoying freshly cooked kidney beans, we often don't consider how these plants contribute to soil fertility and ecosystems.
Understanding the practical scenarios where leguminous plants prove their worth can help make smarter agricultural choices. This blog discusses leguminous plants in detail with definitions, examples, and the benefits they provide for sustainable farming.
The leguminous plants are defined as the plants that produce seeds in pods. These types of plants often possess the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen through symbiotic bacteria housed in their root nodules.
Leguminous plants’ nitrogen-fixing ability helps enhance soil fertility and reduces the need for fertilizers. The symbiotic bacteria Rhizobium reside in the roots of leguminous plants, which convert nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into a form the plant can use for nutrition.
Types of Leguminous Plants
Leguminous plants can be classified into three main types based on their uses. Here is a description of different types of leguminous plants with examples:
Pulses and Food Legumes
These leguminous plants are edible and consumed by humans. They are rich in protein, fibre, and other essential nutrients.
Examples: Lentils, chickpeas, peas, black beans, kidney beans, groundnut
Fodder Legumes
These are cultivated to produce feed for livestock cattle, and poultry animals. Their high protein content helps improve animal health.
Examples: Alfalfa, clover, vetch, stylo
Green Manure Legumes
These legumes are used in crop rotation and soil management. They improve crop yields through nitrogen fixation in the soil. They provide good ground cover, which minimizes soil erosion and improves the soil’s physical properties.
Leguminous plants are very useful for the ecosystem and offer several benefits to farming communities, as mentioned below.
Nitrogen Fixation: They naturally improve soil fertility by fixing nitrogen in the soil, reducing dependency on chemical fertilizers.
Crop Rotation: They are ideal for crop rotation as they restore the necessary nutrients in the soil required by crops.
Erosion Control: Many leguminous plants cover a large land area and help prevent soil erosion.
Biodiversity: They support beneficial insects and microorganisms.
Sustainable Agriculture: Leguminous plants reduce the use of synthetic fertilisers and thus contribute effectively to eco-friendly agriculture practices.
How Leguminous Plants Help in Nitrogen Fixation?
Plants cannot use nitrogen from the atmosphere directly. Leguminous plants provide nitrogen to plants through the natural nitrogen fixation process by converting atmospheric nitrogen (N₂) into a usable form like ammonia (NH₃) using an enzyme called nitrogenase.
This process occurs through a symbiotic relationship between leguminous plants and Rhizobium bacteria, which creates nodules on the plant's roots. The plant uses ammonia for growth, while the bacteria receive carbohydrates and a protective environment from the plant.
Non-leguminous plants differ from leguminous plants in both structure and function. These plants may or may not bear fruits or seeds, and typically do not fix nitrogen through the symbiotic mode of nutrition. Non-leguminous plants include crops (wheat, barley), fruits (mango, fig), vegetables (tomato, cabbage), etc.
Differences Between Leguminous and Non-Leguminous Plants
The differences between leguminous and non-leguminous plants are given below.
Differences Between Leguminous and Non-Leguminous Plants
Feature
Leguminous Plants
Non-Leguminous Plants
Family
Fabaceae
Various families other than Fabaceae
Nitrogen Fixation
Natural nitrogen fixation through root nodules
No natural nitrogen fixation
Seed Structure
Seeds found in pods
Seeds may be in fruits, cones, etc.
Examples
Peas, beans, lentils
Rice, wheat, mango, sunflower
Soil Enrichment
Improves nitrogen content in soil
Does not improve nitrogen content in soil
Importance of Leguminous Plants in Agriculture
Leguminous plants have become an integral part of modern farming. Farmers can significantly improve the amount of nutrients in the soil required for crop production by planting legumes between main crops. Legumes are major contributors in organic farming by ensuring sustainable crop production with environment-friendly practices.
Moreover, leguminous plants are adaptable to changing climate conditions and soil profiles. They can grow in various environments, providing farmers with a resilient option in the face of changing weather patterns.
The article provides insightful information on leguminous plants, which offer several agricultural, economic, nutritional, and environmental benefits. From improving fertility to providing protein-rich food, they contribute effectively to sustainable farming and everyday life.
Want your child to enjoy science, not just read about it? Enroll your child in Curious Junior online tuition where students from Class 3 to 9 learn through storytelling. Our mentors simplify chapters and keep children curious and motivated.
With Curious Junior, learning is fun and your child learns science through real-life examples that make concepts clear and interesting. Give your child the opportunity to explore and enjoy science like never before.
Book a demo today and start this exciting learning experience!.
Talk to a counsellorHave doubts? Our support team will be happy to assist you!
