The amount of proteins in pulses varies between species from approximately 200 g/kg dry matter (DM) for pigeon pea and chickpea to 500-550 g/kg DM for peanut meal, soyabean meal and soyabeans.

Pulses’ proteins have low concentration of sulfur-containing amino acids.

 

·       Polysaccharides

The principal polysaccharide in the majority of pulses is starch, although some grains, for example the lupin grain contains mainly β-(1,4)-galactan and others, like faba beans and peas contain mostly a-galactosides.

Polysaccharides are known to reduce the development of diabetes.

Pulses contain great amounts of dietary fibers and are important for patients with digestive problems

 

·       Lipids

Not many pulses species contain big amounts of lipids but lipid content of soyabean seed and peanut seed is high. 

 

·       Vitamins

Pulses contain vitamin C that is known to boost the immune system. They also contain some amounts of β-carotene, malic acid, uric acid and folic acid. Note that folic acid is known to have a positive effect against heart diseases and cancer.

·       Other elements

Pulses are the group of legumes that contain the biggest amounts of Fe. They also contain Ca, P, K and other trace elements, but not Na.

 

Despite all these incredibly important nutrients, pulses also contain some secondary metabolites that adverse effects on animals. Some of them, like lectins interfere with the digestion process, mostly in the small intestine and therefore pulses are considered a little hard to digest. However, most secondary metabolites are not considered a problem as all pulses are cooked and therefore destroyed before consumption.

Sources:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23675302_Nutritional_Value_of_Grain_Legumes_for_Ruminants/download

https://www.mednutrition.gr/portal/efarmoges/leksiko-diatrofis/12598-ospria-min-ta-paraleipete

picture: https://www.thinkfree.gr/%CF%84%CE%B1-%CF%89%CF%86%CE%AD%CE%BB%CE%B9%CE%BC%CE%B1-%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%B1-%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%BD-%CF%85%CE%B3%CE%B5%CE%AF%CE%B1-%CF%8C%CF%83%CF%80%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%B1/

Below i have put a

Dendrogram depicting phylogenetic relationships of Papilionoideae legumes:

P. vulgaris is a highly polymorphic species; its beans come in an enormous variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, from pinto to pink to black to white.

Cultivated varieties of common bean differ quantitatively or qualitatively for the following traits: growth habit, which ranges from indeterminate climber to determinate postrate.

 

The Genus Phaseolus is considered to have originated 6 million years ago (Mya) in Mesoamerica as most of the species wild form is geographically distributed there. 

Wild forms of P. vulgaris occur from Northern Mexico to NorthWestern Argentina and they are charachterized by 3 distinct gene pools: Mesoamerica, Northern Peru&Equathor and Andean. 

A study of Roberto Papa and others suggests that the wild form spread from Mesoamerica, into Ecuador and Columbia and then into the Andes. 

 

While the exact date of domestication for beans has not yet been determined, wild landraces have been discovered in archaeological sites dated to 10,000 years ago in Argentina and 7,000 years ago in Mexico. 

In Mesoamerica, the earliest cultivation of domestic common beans occurred before about 2,500-1,300 years ago in places like Tehuacan valley, Tamaulipas and Oaxaca valley. 

Domestication later took place in the Andes and in Mesoamerica, independently.

Despite this diversity, wild and domestic beans belong to the same species.

Main Traits that distinguish domesticated beans (from wild ones):

·        Loss of seed dormancy & protoperiod insensitivity

·        Greater seed size 

·        Increased seed weight 

·        the seed pods are less likely to shatter 

·        Greater seed determinate growth habit (growth that proceeds only during part of the vegetative season and then ceases).

·        but decreased variability in grain size & seed coat