Urad/Black gram, also known as Vigna mungo, is an annual, herbaceous legume that is a major pulse crop in the tropics and subtropics. It is native to India and is the third most cultivated crop in the Indian subcontinent. Black gram is resistant to adverse weather conditions and can improve soil fertility by fixing atmospheric nitrogen. It can grow in a variety of soils, but prefers well-drained loam with a pH of 6.5 to 7.8. Black gram is drought resistant but intolerant of frost and prolonged cloudiness.

Black gram is an important part of the Indian diet, providing vegetable protein and supplementing cereal-based diets. It is consumed as "dal" (whole, split, husked, or unhusked) or perked, and is also used as a nutritious feed for milch animals. Black gram is high in protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and fiber, and also contains minerals and vitamins. It is also a good source of lysine, which complements rice well in terms of balanced human nutrition.