A wide-ranging survey of all the major grain legumes from their evolution to their potential for further development and improvement as economically important food crops. The book covers the changes that have occurred in the course of plant domestication leading to our present pulse crops and oilseed legume crops. The author also discusses the benefits to be gained from evaluation and improvement of grain legume genetic resources. This is a suitable book for advanced undergraduate courses in plant breeding and postgraduate courses in genetic resource conservation, collection and management.