Legumes in Sri Lanka are mainly grown under rainfed conditions. They provide much-needed vegetable protein to a significant portion of the population who abstain from consuming animal proteins. Low-income groups depend on grain legumes to substitute for the more expensive meat and fish products. 

Most important grain legumes produced in Sri Lanka are mungbean (Vigna radiata), cowpea (Vigna ungiculata), black gram (Vigna mungo), soybean (Glycine max), and pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan). Major pulses imported are masoor dhal (red lentils) and chickpea. Attempts to cultivate red lentils in Sri Lanka have failed due to the poor adaptation of the crop to local conditions, but newly developed cultivars of chickpea show some promise.
The DOA places emphasis on developing high yielding varieties of different maturity groups to fit diverse rainfall patterns. Early seedling vigour, tolerance to drought and major pests and diseases and good eating quality are considered sought-after varietal characters. Research is also underway to develop crop management packages for legumes in rice-based cropping systems. 

Mungbean
Cowpea
Pigeonpea
Chickpea
Black gram
Soybean