About this Produce
Cluster Bean Seeds , Guar or Lond bean with the botanical name Cyamopsis tetragonoloba is an annual legume and the source of guar gum. The origin of Cyamopsis tetragonoloba is unknown, since it has never been found in the wild. It is assumed to have developed from the African species Cyamopsis senegalensis. It was further domesticated in South Asia, where it has been cultivated for centuries. It is commonly con- sumed in Indian culinary practices. Guar grows well in semiarid areas, with a requirement of frequent rainfall.
This legume is a valuable plant in a crop rotation cycle, as it lives in symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Agriculturists in semi-arid regions of Rajasthan follow crop-rotation and use guar to replenish the soil with essential fertilizers and nitrogen fixation, before the next crop. Guar has many functions for human and animal nutrition, but the gelling agent in its seeds (guar gum) is the most important use. Demand is rising due to the use of guar gum in hydraulic fracturing (oil shale gas). About 80% of world production occurs in India but due to its huge demand, the plant is being introduced in other parts of the world too.
