![MCQs [2024]](https://engineeringinterviewquestions.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Interview-Questions-2.png)
Cereals are grasses belonging to the Poaceae family. They are extremely rich in their carbohydrate content and are mass-produced across many countries. Pulses, on the other hand, are leguminous crops responsible for producing pods. They have a highly rich protein content, however, are produced in lesser quantities than cereals.
Grains
Grown by humans and consumed by both humans and animals, both cereals and pulses classify under grains, are small and dry, resembling a hard seed in terms of how they look. These are widely consumed in countries across the world owing to their high nutritional value. China is the number one country in the world that produces the highest number of cereals. India is the top consumer, producer, and importer when it comes to pulses.
Cereal
Classified as grains, cereals are grass that comes under the Poaceae family. They are rich in oils, fats, carbohydrates, and minerals, which is the reason behind cereals being produced in large quantities. Cereals do not contain a high amount of calcium, vitamin A or carbohydrates; regardless they are the staple food in many countries across the world. It is a particular type of crop that looks exactly like a type of grass cultivated or grown for the edible components of its grain which are botanical, a type of fruit commonly called a caryopsis, which is composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran. When the cereals are processed by the removal of the bran, and germ, the remaining endosperm that is available to consume is mostly carbohydrates.
Importance of Cereals
Regardless of the high energy value and carbohydrate content cereals have, their production cost is really low when compared to other food items in the market. Additionally, the fact that cereals can be stored and kept intact for a really long time only increases its value.
Production of cereals in large scale is dependent on various factors like the climate, condition of the soil, geographic location of the country and more. Climate plays a major factor in the cultivation of cereals; for example, while wheat can grow on various kinds of soil except for cold deserts, barley can be cultivated in soil that is less fertile and more barren. Most cereals are consumed by humans, sold in their raw forms for consumption, used as ingredients in manufacturing other food products or used as animal feed for cattle or poultry.
Cereals also have industrial application- they are often used in the production of certain types of alcohol, oils, adhesives, glucose, biofuels and more.
Pulses
Grain legumes or often terms as dry seeds, pulses, are produced lesser in quantity than cereals but have a high value of proteins, iron, vitamins, amino acids, and fibers. The family of pulses consist of 12 kinds of crops that include chickpeas, lentils, dry beans, dry peas, cowpeas, vetches, dry broad beans, pigeon peas, Bambara beans, etc. These are a type of leguminous crop that is harvested solely for the purpose of obtaining dry seed. For example, Dried beans, lentils, and peas are the most commonly known and consumed types of pulses. Pulses generally do not include crops that are harvested green in color like green peas, green beans, etc. because those specific types of crops are classified as vegetable crops.
Importance of Pulses
Pulses are available in a variety of forms including broad beans, kidney beans, butter beans, lima beans and more- some of which are in the form of a variety of seeds. Their high nutrient value and protein-rich quality make them a good option as an alternative diet, especially in cases where there is a lack of protein intake like dairy products, eggs or meat.
Additionally, pulses are really important when it comes to lowering cholesterol levels or controlling blood sugar levels due to their rich fibre and low-fat content. They also help in combating obesity, diabetes and heart issues; this is another reason why regular pulse intake is advised by dieticians and medical practitioners across the world.
Pulses are economically important too. Certain countries mass-produce pulses; in which case it not only adds value to the farmers who cultivate pulses but also to the overall economy by balancing the import-export factor and bringing about both financial stability and food availability.
Also, pulses are leguminous crops, which means they can use the parasitic microorganisms in their roots to absorb the nitrogen present in the atmosphere. This ability to fix the nitrogen content also comes in handy to increase the fertility levels of the soil, in turn, increasing the productivity level of the area and also helping to promote biodiversity. Naturally, this nitrogen-fixing ability also helps in maintaining the overall health of the environment since the use of man-made fertilizers that are often harmful takes a backseat.
Basic Difference
The cereals are a type of grass and whereas pulses are leguminous types of crops. The cereals belong to the Poaceae family which is commonly called a monocot, while pulses are crops that produce pods and consumable seeds inside them. Let us learn the difference between cereals and pulses clearly to understand their concept and health benefits clear. On the whole Cereals and Pulses are all small, dry, and hard consumable seeds.
Difference between Cereals and Pulses
|
Characteristic |
Cereals |
Pulses |
|
Definition |
Forms of harvested grass, cereals are produced in many countries for their starch content. |
Forms of leguminous crops, pulses are harvested as dry seeds that mostly grow inside a pod. |
|
Nutrients |
They have a higher content of carbohydrates present in them. |
They have high levels of amino acids and are rich in protein; though the levels of carbohydrates are lower. |
|
Production |
Production of cereals is on a large scale since they are highly rich in carbohydrates. In a number of countries, cereals are a staple form of food. |
Mass production of proteins is not common since they are low in carbohydrates and high in proteins. |
|
Conditions for growth |
All kinds |
Pulses grow inside a pod that may give anywhere between one to twelve seeds at once. |
|
Classification |
Kingdom: Plantae. Order: Poales. Family: Poaceae. |
Kingdom: Plantae. Order: Fabales. Family: Leguminosae. |
|
Examples |
Corn, oats, rye, rice, wheat, barley and sorghum. |
Chickpeas, lentils, dry beans, dry peas, cowpeas, vetches, dry broad beans, pigeon peas, Bambara beans |
|
Countries produced |
Cereals are mass-produced and a staple food for consumption in China, Brazil , India, USA and Russia. |
India is the largest producer of pulses followed by countries like Myanmar, Brazil, Australia, China, Nigeria, Canada and USA. |
How to score Well in Biology?
Biology is a subject which is classified into Botany which deals with plants and their properties and Zoology which covers all details of other living beings on earth, their living and eating habits. This is a subject that will highly help students in learning and understanding the ecosystem. Usually, students think that Biology is really a tough & vast subject with a huge syllabus structure. But the reality is that Biology is a very scoring and easy subject. If you plan the syllabus well and study all the concepts in every chapter by practicing the diagrams and equations in a separate note, you can easily revise them before your exams.
Significance of Biology
Biology is important because it helps us understand how every living thing works and how they actually function and interact within themselves on multiple levels in the ecosystem.
-
First and foremost, science related to biology is mainly only about studying life.
-
Second, it provides an in-depth, scientific understanding of how all living and nonliving organisms interact with each other in the ecosystem that prevails.
-
Third, it gives insights and wide knowledge into how a variety of diverse life forms are formed in the ecosystem.
Importance of understanding How a Cell works
By understanding how any particular cell works in both healthy or diseased states found in any living organisms, cell biologists who work in any animal, plant, and medical science will be able to develop various new variant effective vaccines, more effective and high-level medicines for more vulnerable diseases, plants with improved growth rate and qualities, and because of this increased knowledge, the scientists will have a better understanding of how all living things live on this earth in order to improve the quality of the ecosystem.