LONG BEANVigna unguiculata

K.K.I.Jayasundara R.Virubinnya

Introduction

Botanical name: Vigna unguiculata

Common name: Long bean

Family: Leguminaceae

Origin: South west China

Annual legume crop

• Other Common Names : Snake Bean , Chinese Long Bean , Long- Podded Cowpea

• Season of growth: Summer growing

• Altitude range: grow well up to 1500m elevation

• Rainfall requirement: 750-1100mm

• Soil requirement: Moist well- drained soil

Nutritional valueYoung, immature pods are one of very low calorie vegetables

The pods contain large quantities of soluble and insoluble fibers

Fresh beans contain a good amount of vitamin C

long beans are excellent sources of vitamin A

yard long beans provide average amounts of minerals such as iron, copper, manganese, calcium, magnesium

Crop recommendations

Land preparationPlough the land well

Prepare bedsIn-row spacing-15-40 cmBetween row spacing-60-150 cm

Rows should make from northto south to get full exposure to sun rays

Should be plant after all danger of frost is past

Direct seeding is practiced

Generally planted in drilled rows 20-42 inches apart

Field establishment

At planting time soil should be wet nearly its carrying capacity

Usually 3-4 time irrigations are necessary after planting until seedlings have emerged

Irrigation for the season should cease when ¼ of bean pods have turned yellow

Irrigation

Trellises

Staking or trellising is required for long and straight fruits and ease of harvest

The trellis is removed at the end-of-the season

Special requirements for growth habit

Harvested when most of pods have turned yellow

but before they are dry enough to shatter from pods.

Harvest Scheduling : Multiple harvests from the

same planting

Harvesting

Hand harvest or machine harvest

Mostly Hand harvest is practiced

Quality parameters/grades : No established grades. Quality is

determined by the market. Different ethnic groups prefer different stages of maturity

Harvest pods every one to three days, depending on air temperatures. Pods are usually sold in bundles tied at the stem end

Diseases

Bacteria blight

Symptoms- spots that may enlarge rapidly and produce dead areas

on leaves

Causal agent- Xanthomonas phaseoli

Control measures- plant blight- free seeds, some resistant varieties

Anthracnose

Symptoms- dark colored areas appear on leaves. Most serious in wet seasons.

Causal agent- Collectrobrichum

lindemuthianum

Control measures- use of disease free seeds, resistant

varieties, crop rotations

Common bean mosaic

Symptoms- mottling of leaves may form various patterns of dark green

and light green areas.

Leaves of infected plants may be curled downward.

Control measures- resistant varieties

Insect pests

Bean weevil

Acanthascelides obtectus

Damage storage and in the field

Control measures- planting weevil free seeds, fumigation of

infected seeds, field sanitation

Mexican bean beetle

Ephilachna varivestris

Control measures- with insecticides

Uses

Culinary purposes

Primarily used in South-east Asian countries

Young leaves and stems are occasionally used as a cooked vegetable

References

www.homevegetables.net.com

www.greenseeds.com

Group members

K.K.I.Jayasundara - UWU/EAG/11/0014

R.Virubinnya – UWU/EAG/11/0008

THANK YOU…