Consider the following crops of India: 1) Cowpea 2) Green gram 3) Pigeon pea Which of the above is/are used as pulse, fodder and green manure?

All three crops are grain legumes, so each one is a pulse. The question asks whether each also serves as fodder and as green manure, and the answer is yes for all three, though the strength of the link differs.

• Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata): Grown as a grain pulse, a fast-growing fodder legume, and a classic green manure crop. Its quick biomass and nitrogen fixation make it useful for soil improvement.
• Green gram (Vigna radiata, moong): A major pulse. Its haulms are fed to livestock, and it is ploughed in as green manure, especially in summer fallows after rice.
• Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan, arhar/tur): A pulse crop whose leaves and stalks are used as fodder and fuel. It is also used as a green manure and intercrop with its deep root system.

The core concept is the dual role of leguminous crops: they fix atmospheric nitrogen through Rhizobium in root nodules, which supports soil fertility and reduces fertiliser dependence. This connects to the pulses self-sufficiency debate and to sustainable agriculture, a recurring Mains theme.

Trap: Aspirants often assume pigeon pea is only a pulse and reject option D. Its green manure use is less prominent than cowpea's, but the question's key treats all three as valid.