Question

The high protein content of legumes(pulses) is correlated with
(a) Application of fertilizers to the soil
(b) Nitrogen content of the soil
(c) Nitrogen-fixing bacteria present in the soil
(d) Their tropical or temperate origin

Answer 1

Hint: Roots present in the legumes are called nodular roots that contain symbiotic bacteria that help in nitrogen fixation which is used in the production of proteins.

Complete answer:
Legumes belong to the family Fabaceae or Leguminosae. They are also called pulses. Roots of the legumes contain nitrogen-fixing bacteria, so their roots are called nitrogenous roots. They help in the fixation of nitrogen in the atmosphere into ammonia. The symbiotic bacteria present in most of the leguminous plants are Rhizophora. Nitrogenous amino acids are present in all proteins and legumes are capable of fixing nitrogen, so they have high protein content.

Additional Information: - In order to survive in harsh environments, some parts of the plant are modified to meet their requirements. Plants belonging to the family Leguminosae belong grow in nitrogen-deficient soils so their roots are modified with the presence of nodules. These nodules contain symbiotic Bacteria such as rhizopus that help in the fixation of nitrogen in the atmosphere into ammonia. So, their roots are called nodular roots
- Nitrogenous amino acids are required for the production of proteins. Plants belonging to the Fabaceae family have the ability to produce more nitrogenous amino acids that are required for the synthesis of proteins making them protein-rich plants.
So, the correct answer is ‘ nitrogen-fixing bacteria present in the soil’

Note: Some of the examples of legumes are beans, peas, lentils, groundnut, etc. they are used for human consumption because they are rich in proteins, carbohydrates, and dietary fiber, they are used for the production of edible oils like groundnut oil.
The nitrogen content in the plants is transferred into the soil after they die making it useful for other plants so it is also used as fertilizer.