Gaur is a cluster bean, among leguminous crop it is comparatively more drought and hardy crop. It is generally grown for feed, fodder and vegetable purposes. Among dryland crops, gaur occupies an important place in the national economy because of its industrial importance, mainly due to the presence of gum in its endosperm. Gaur gum is higly mucilaginous, which is being used in various industries such as textiles, cosmetics, explosives, paper, food processing, etc.
Gaur is a drought resistant crop and can be grown successfully in areas where the average annual rainfall is 30-40 cm. It is cultivated mostly as rainfed crop in semi-arid zones of northern India. Germination of seeds and root development takes place between 25 and 30 degree centigrade.
Gaur can be grown on all types of soils except heavy and poorly drained soils. It thrives best on well drained medium to light soils with pH range of 7.0 to 8.5.
The numerous varieties fall into two main types; the grain, fodder type and vegetable type. Selection of varieties mainly depends on the following factors:
