Guar, also known as clusterbean, is an annual legume. In the United States, it has a variety of uses, most notable of which is the production of guar gum, a type of food additive that is used to thicken food products. Guar also has industrial and agricultural applications that make it a very useful crop.
History
Guar was originally introduced to the United States from India in 1903 and by the 1950s, commercial production had begun, focused primarily in northern Texas and southern Oklahoma. The vast majority of guar is now grown in Pakistan, India and the United States.
Agricultural and Industrial Uses
Half of the acreage of guar grown in the United States is harvested, while the rest is plowed under for soil-building purposes, due to the ability of guar to extract nitrogen directly from the atmosphere through root nodules that harbor nitrogen-fixing bacteria. The majority of the crop yield in the United States is used to produce a low-grade guar gum, which is used in the manufacture of paper, explosives, well drilling muds and other industrial products. The guar plant and beans are also used as cattle feed.
Food Uses
The rest of the crop is used primarily to produce a substance called guar gum. High-grade guar gum is used as a thickening agent and stabilizer in ice cream, cheese, pudding, artificial whipped topping and other food items. In Asia, guar is also eaten as a vegetable.
Growth Habits
Guar produces a taproot that can reach deep into the soil to find moisture. This makes the plant very drought tolerant. Guar grows in an upright form, and can reach from 18 to 40 inches tall. The leaves are large, green, and smooth. Each plant grows from a single stem that branches finely. Small pea-like flowers produced pods that are from 1 1/2 to 4 inches long and contains 6 to 12 seeds each.
Growing Conditions
The plant tolerates high temperatures and very dry conditions, growing well in arid climates. Under optimal conditions, guar has a summer growing season of between 60 and 150 days, depending on the variety. It is tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions, but prefers fertile, sandy loam that is well draining. Seeds should be inoculated with a preparation of nitrogen-fixing bacteria to promote the development of root nodules where the bacteria grows.
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