Glycine max (L.) merr. A traditional crop of Kumaun Himalaya and ethnobotanical prespectives

Abstract

Black seeded soybean Glycine max (L.) Merr. Is a popular pulse, locally known as bhat and ‘wonder crop’ of the 20th century belongs to the family Fabaceae. It is grown in Kumaun and Garhwal regions and its bordering states and countries in the Himalaya. Black seeded soybean was introduced to India during 1963 with trials conducted at Pantnagar and Jabalpur Agricultural Universities. Black soybean has great potential as an exceptionally nutritive and very rich protein food. It can supply the much needed protein to human diets, because it contains more than 40% protein of superior quality and all the essential amino acids particularly glycine, tryptophan and lysine, similar to cow’s milk and animal proteins. Medicinally it is used here in Kumaun Himalayas in the treatment of Jaundice.