Plants & Human Affairs - Introduction
Cherries.wmf (7140 bytes) Plants & Human Affairs (BIOL106)  -  Stephen G. Saupe, Ph.D.; Biology Department, College of St. Benedict/St. John's University, Collegeville, MN 56321; ssaupe@csbsju.edu; http://www.employees.csbsju.edu/ssaupe

Legume Study Guide

Goal of the Unit:  The goal of this unit is to provide a brief introduction to the biology and diversity of the legumes and some of their important contributions.

Learning Objectives:  Upon completion of this unit you should be able to:

  1. describe the characteristics of the Bean family including leaf type, fruit type and flowers
  2. describe the process nitrogen fixation.  Use the terms:  nitrogen fixation, Rhizobium, nitrification, ammonification, nitrate, ammonia, nitrite, denitrification, nodules, and organic nitrogen in your response.
  3. explain why legumes generally have a higher protein content than other plants
  4. explains why farmers apply ammonia or urea to fields even though many plants cannot directly use these for fertilizer
  5. describe some of the limitations of legumes as food
  6. name three toxic components of legumes
  7. describe the symptom of lathyrism and its cause
  8. describe favism and its cause
  9. explain what is meant by protein complementarity
  10. explain how soy sauce and tofu are made
  11. explain why legumes are called poor-person's meat
  12. name the toxic chemical produced by molds that grow on peanuts

Bean Identification (not on exam)
    For each of the following beans, can you (a) identify it; (b) indicate on a map the area to which it is native; and (c) give some use for the bean;

Legume Structure (not on exam)
    Obtain a fruit (legume) of a bean plant.  Can you locate the place where the stamesn and other floral organs were attached?  Open the pod along one side.  Sketch the interior of the fruit.  Locate the seeds, funiculus and placenta.

Seed Structure (not on exam)
    Obtain a bean seed that was soaked overnight.  Locate the hilum.  Gently squeeze the seed and look for the micropyle.  Remove the seed coat and locate the embryo (including epicotyl, hypocotyl,  radicle, and cotyledons). 

 

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Last updated:  01/07/2005 / � Copyright  by SG Saupe / URL:http://www.employees.csbsju.edu/ssaupe/index.html