There are 10 lessons in this course:

1. Scope and Nature of Legume Cropping
   • Taxonomy of legumes
   • Brief history of legume use
   • Significance of Legume Crops
   • Food plants for people
   • Food plants for animals
   • Soil improvers
   • Amenity plants
   • Industrial crops
   • Weeds
   • Legume cover crops
   • Inoculation of Legumes
   • Legumes today
   • Shade & Salt Tolerant Cover Crops
2. Peas
   • Introduction
   • Cultivars
   • Snap Peas
   • Green Peas
   • Appearance
   • Cultivation
   • Climate
   • Soil and Fertility
   • Land and Seed Bed Preparation
   • Planting Material
   • Inoculation
   • Plant Spacing
   • Trellising
   • Nutrient Management
   • Irrigation
   • Weed Control
   • Harvesting
3. Growing Beans
   • Introduction
   • Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) -Classification, Growing Conditions, Climate, Soil, Planting, Irrigation, Nutrition, Weeds, Pest and Disease
   • Management
   • Varieties – bush, climbing
   • Harvesting
   • Storage
   • Runner Beans (Phaseolus coccineus) – Growing Conditions, Climate, Soil, Planting, Irrigation, Nutrition, Weeds, Pest and Disease, Varieties
   • Lima Beans (Phaseolus lunatus) – Growing Conditions, Planting, Harvesting, Varieties.
   • Broad Bean (Vicia faba)- Growing Conditions, Soil, Planting, Irrigation, Nutrition, Weeds, Harvesting, Crop Rotation, Pest and Disease, Varieties
   • Hyacinth Bean (Lablab purpureus) – Growing Conditions, Climate, Planting, Irrigation, Nutrition, Weeds, Pest and Disease, Varieties
   • Snake Bean (Vigna unguiculate ssp sesquipedalis) – Growing Conditions, Climate, Planting, Irrigation, Nutrition, Weeds, Pest and Disease
   • Mung Bean (Vigna radiata) Growing Conditions, Climate, Soil, Land preparation, Sowing, Planting, Irrigation, Nutrition, Weeds, Harvesting, Drying, Storage, IPM, Pest and Disease, Land Management
4. Growing Lentils
   • Introduction
   • Planting Lentils
   • How to Plant
   • Soil, Watering and Fertiliser
   • Nurturing the Plants
   • Diseases
   • Pests
   • Harvesting
5. Growing Lupins
   • Introduction
   • Lupin plant structure -leaves, stem, branches, roots, flower, pod, seed
   • Lupin Growing Cycle -germination phases
   • Benefits of Lupin Crops
   • Factors affecting Lupin Growth
   • Seed Quality
   • Sowing Lupins
   • Pod Growth
   • Harvesting
   • Sources for seed growth
   • Factors Affecting Seed Development – moisture, temperature
   • Fertilisers
   • Pests
6. Growing Alfalfa
   • Introduction
   • How to grow alfalfa at home
   • Lucerne Cropping
   • Soil type
   • Fertility Management
   • Plant Variety
   • Planting Crops
   • Seeding Depth
   • Crop Management
   • Irrigation
   • Disease and Insect Management
   • Harvesting Lucerne
7. Soybeans
   • Introduction
   • Planting Soybean Crops
   • Modern Farming Practices (eg. Zero tilling)
   • Soil Management
   • Variety Selection
   • Planting Soybeans
   • Plant Growth and Physiology
   • Nutrition and Fertiliser
   • Nutritional Deficiency
   • Weed Control
   • Pest Control
   • Harvesting Soybeans
8. Growing Chickpeas
   • Introduction
   • Crop Preparation
   • Weed Control
   • Soil Preparation
   • Soil Moisture
   • Diseases
   • Chickpea Varieties -Desi Type, Kabuli Type
   • Planting Chickpeas
   • Plant Growth and Physiology
   • Nutrition and Fertiliser
   • Harvest
9. Other Legumes
   • Peanut
   • Inga (Ice Cream Bean)
   • Tamarind
   • Carob
   • Acacia (Wattle seed)
   • Clovers and Annual Medics
   • Growing Clovers
   • Clover Species
   • Medics
10. Processing and Using Legumes
    • Introduction
    • Storage Planning
    • Silo Options
    • Grain Storage Bags
    • Bunkers
    • Underground Pits
    • Calculating Costs
    • Variable Costs of On Farm Storage
    • Aeration Cooling
    • Repairs and Maintenance
    • Time & Labour
    • ROI Investment Analysis
    • Safety
    • Grain Storage and Insect Management
    • Storing Lentils
    • Storing Soybeans
    • Storing Chickpeas
    • Storing Peanuts
    • Storing Faba Beans
    • Storing Field Peas

Please note:   Each lesson culminates in an assignment submitted to the academy, and marked by your tutor with relevant suggestions, comments, and extra reading if necessary.

• Discuss commercial farming of Legumes
• Explain different types of pea crops
• Explain how to grow beans
• Explain how to grow edible lupins
• Explain how to grow an alfalfa crop
• Explain the importance and growing of soybean crops
• Explain the cultivation of chickpea crops
• Explain how to grow a range of other legume food crops
• Explain how legume crops are processed and used

• Research Legumes and products derived from legumes that are commonly available in your area.
• Watch videos on legume crops.
• Interview a close contact about whether they consume legumes, which ones and why.
• Take notes and develop your understanding of the nutritional benefits of legumes.
• Select two micronutrients and research how they affect health of pea crops. Look for information on how peas react to deficiency and over application of these nutrients.
• Research how to sprout peas, sprout some peas and incorporate them into your meals.
• Observe and take note of your sprouting project.
• Research the significance of peas as an agricultural crop in your country.
• Research the difference between peas selected for different types of processing, e.g. fresh, canned, frozen, or dried/dehydrated online.
• Interview someone who has grown beans.
• Watch videos of combine harvesters harvesting beans online and take notes.
• Prepare lentils to eat.
• Watch videos online of lentil growth and take notes.
• Watch videos about lentil growing and sustainability online.
• Pay attention to material on soil health and sustainability, and harvest. Make sure you take notes as you watch.
• Research the importance of lupins as a feed crop for livestock.
• Spend some time reading about interplanting lucerne with other crops.
• Select two of the diseases affecting lucerne and undertake further research on these two diseases
• Contact soybean suppliers online in your country.
• Look for soybean suppliers online in your country. Compare the different varieties available online.
• Explore the different types of chickpeas available in the local markets and grocery stores near your home.
• Use chickpeas to make a recipe that you have not tried. Consider making hummus, a power bowl, roasted chickpeas or a dhal.
• Look up agricultural feed suppliers online and examine their clover supplies
• Research methods that are used to harvest peanut crops.
• Research silo options online

BRIEF HISTORY OF LEGUME USE

The legume family is the third largest plant family with close to 20,000 species and over 750 genera. It is thought to have evolved about 89 to 94 million years ago, and there are many fossil records of these plants from the tertiary period (2.6 to 66 million years ago).

The family began to diversify about 60 million years ago and Mimosoideae seems to have emerged about 44 million years ago.

The exact location where Fabaceae originated from is contested. Many believe they began life somewhere between the ancient continents of Gondwana and Laurasia, whereas others argue that Africa and the Americas could be their birthplace.

Indeed, Fabaceae is the most abundant plant family in tropical rainforests and dry forests of these regions. Nowadays, they are found on all continents except for the Arctic and Antarctica.

However, it is their usefulness to humans which has made legumes such an important group of plants.

There is archaeological evidence to indicate that chickpeas and lentils were cultivated in the Middle East about 10,000 years ago.

There is also evidence of evidence of Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, and Hebrews eating lentils some 8,000 years ago, and the oldest known record of carbonised lentils being found in a cave in Greece dating to 11,000 years ago.

Around the same time, the people in Peru were eating lima beans and peanuts and indeed lima beans get their name from the Peruvian city of Lima.

Soon after these beans were being grown in other parts of South America right up to Mexico. Meanwhile, there are records of broad beans being consumed in Europe about 8,000 years ago.

About 3,000 years ago farmers in northern China were growing soybeans and about 2,000 years ago they were being cultivated across Asia from Japan to India.

In Europe, Greeks and Romans are known to have been growing and consuming peas about 2,500 years ago.

By the first century AD various kinds of legumes were being consumed across the globe in all the major civilisations.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here is a list of the most often asked FAQ’s.

General

Q. Why should I enrol with the Academy for Distance Learning?
A. Here at ADL, our students are our priority – we treat everyone as a unique individual.

Q. Do I need to buy text books?
A. No, as each module has been written by highly qualified industry professionals. The content of the material is presented in such a way that text books are not required. However, if you require additional reading your tutor will be able to supply a list.

Q. What happens if I have to stop studying for a while? (eg. become sick, go on holidays, have a baby, move house, etc)
A. It’s OK to take a break and start up your study at a later point in time. Just let us know.

Q. Is there an age limit?
A. There is no maximum age limit. We do however, have a minimum age limit of 18 years. Below that age parental consent would be required.

Q. Are your courses up-to date?
A. Our courses are revised and updated on a rotation system.

Q. Do you have a Cancellation policy?
A. Yes. We have a cancellation policy that is fair and equitable. For further details please click here.

Q. Will I have any opportunity to engage with other students?
A. We have a Student Community group based on facebook! If you don’t have a facebook account already, you could make one just for talking with fellow students on the group.

Enrolment

Q. When can I enrol/start?
A. You may enrol and start at any time of the year – it’s all self- paced.

Q. Can I study from anywhere in the world?
A. Our courses are available to anyone, anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home. The course content is relevant to any country, culture or economy.

Q. How long do I have to complete the course?
A. You complete the course at any time that is convenient for you.

Q. Completing a 100 hour module – how long will it take?
A. For some students a 100 hour module will take approximately to 3- 6 months to complete. Others take less time and some even longer.

Assessment

Q. Assessment – how does it work?
A. For each 100 hour module you are assessed by assignments (at the end of each lesson) and a final one and a half hour exam (or you may elect to complete a Project, instead of sitting the exam) – the choice is yours – you sit for the exam in your own location.

Q. I don’t cope well with exams – what can I do?
A. You may elect to undertake a Project (set by your tutor) instead of sitting the exam. Projects are completed from your home and can usually take a couple of weeks to complete.

Q. If my assignment is not up to standard is there an opportunity to resubmit my work?
A. Yes –

Q. How many assignments do I need to complete for each module?
A. At the end of each lesson, there is an assignment – so if a course has say, 10 lessons, there would be 10 assignments.

Q. I am having difficulty attending workshops/industry meetings, what can be done?
A. If your course requires attendance at workshops, conferences, or industry meetings; alternative arrangements can be made in your country.

Qualifications

Q. What qualification will I receive?
A. For individual modules, you would be awarded a Certificate endorsed by TQUK (Training Qualifications, UK), providing you complete all assignments and the exam. If you just want to complete only the assignments and not sit for the exam or finish a Project, then a Letter of Achievement would be awarded. For more details on qualifications available please click here.

Q. Can I customize my diploma/higher qualification?
A. Not all educational institution’s certificates /diplomas meet everyone’s needs. The opportunity to Design Your Own Diploma at the Academy (subject to our approval) is an added bonus, not found at other colleges. You choose modules that you think will help you in achieving your goal.

Q. What do I get when I complete the course? Will I receive a transcript?
A. At the completion of all courses and providing all assignments and exam requirements have been met, you will receive your Award and a Transcript.

Tutors

Q. Our tutors – who are they?
A. We appoint Tutors and require that they must be currently active in their industry, with at least 5 years’ experience in their chosen profession.

Q. Can I contact my tutor at any time?
A. Yes – you have unlimited access to your tutor via email through our Online Classroom. You can always leave a message with ADL requesting your tutor to contact you. You decide on how much or how little contact you wish to have.

Q. Practical work – How is this done?
A. To find out more about this part of the course please visit the section on How Our Courses Work here.