Pigeonpea is significantly more than just a delicious pulse: Pigeonpea: Alternate uses

Pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.], a popular pulse crop of rainfed tropics and sub-tropics, is predominantly grown for its high protein grains under mixed or pure stands. In India, where pigeonpea is grown on over 5.0 m ha, the entire produce is transformed into decorticated splits (dal) for marketing and consumption. Besides this, different parts of the plants are also used in several other ways which directly or indirectly contribute positively towards sustainable rural agricultural system. These include fresh vegetable, animal fodder and feed, soil conservation, folk medicine, lac and fuelwood production, thatch roofing, basket making, and the like. The authors in this paper have attempted to bring all such scattered information together for the benefit of those concerned with the overall pigeonpea research, development, production, and utilization.