INTRODUCTION TO LESSER KNOWN
VEGETABLES AND FRUIT SPECIES OF KERALA
VOL. 4
COMMON NAME:- WINGED BEAN
OTHER NAMES:
- Goa bean
Asparagus pea
Four-angled
bean
Winged
pea
BOTANIC NAME: - PSOPHOCARPUS TETRAGONOLOBUS
MALAYALAM NAME: - CHATHURA PAYAR
 |
| Winged bean |
Winged bean is a tropical legume plant,
native to New Guinea and named for its unique shape ie, The
plant produces pea-like beans with four winged edges
It is a seasonal crop and plants
will not flower if the day length is more than 12 hours .
Winged beans are extremely versatile crop, almost
every part of this unique plant is tasty and edible. Its leaves, fresh pods, dried
beans and tubers are used for cooking; it is also used as animal fodder, green
manure, and as cover crops.
NUTRITIVE VALUE:-
Per 100 gram (approx.)
Energy 409 Kcal
Protein 29.65 g
Fat 16.32 g
Carbohydrate 41.71 g
Sodium 38 mg
Cholesterol 0 g
The beans
themselves are similar to soybeans in both use and nutritional content .The seeds contain 40%
proteins and the tuber about 20% proteins.
It is also rich
in carbohydrates and vitamin A.
MEDICINAL VALUE:-
Winged beans have the
highest calcium content among all legumes and as such, are very beneficial for
the human skeletal system. The calcium present in these beans helps in the
production and maintenance of the bones and provides strength to overcome diseases
and weaknesses.Winged beans are also a good source of natural minerals,
vitamins (especially A and C), iron and enzymes.As a legume, wing bean scores
high on protein content. In other words, it proves to be a good source of
protein for humans as well as animals.
 |
| Winged bean Flower |
FOOD VALUE:-
Winged
bean (pod) can be cooked like any other vegetable. Its tender leaves make good
sauce and curry. Seeds of young beans (immature pod) taste like peas, can
be eaten raw or pickled
or cooked in water, coconut milk or oil. Dried seeds can be roasted like
peanuts. The tuber-like-roots are eaten after boiling or frying.Winged bean
tubers can be boiled, steamed, baked, fried, roasted and even made into chips.
METHOD
OF CULTIVATION
:-
The winged bean can be grown in poor, sandy
or clay soils without added fertilizer.
The
plant is one of the best nitrogen fixers ie, it has an ability to fix nitrogen
from the atmosphere and improves fertility of the soil. The plant requires very
little or no fertilizers.
The seeds have a hard coat and
it helps to soak them before planting to hasten germination. The plant grows
very quickly. After sowing, it takes 8 to 10 days to sprout. After 8 to 10
weeks, the creeper will bear flowers, violet in colour. Within 4 weeks, tender
beans will grow. Pod-bearing will last for 2 to 3 months. One creeper will bear
4 to 5 kilos of beans. The creeper has a well-developed root system. From it,
the plant will sprout again in the next season. Yields of fresh pods are
normally between 10-15 tons per hectare.
FOOT NOTE:-
According to Duke, 1981; and Oomen and Grubben 1977, winged bean
leaves can produce about 8,000 kg/ha in 60 days or less. This comes to 135
kg/ha per day. This comes to about 63,500 calories; 6.75 kg of protein; 108
grams of calcium; 2.7 grams of iron; 4.1 grams of b-carotene; and 39,150 mg of
vitamin C per hectare per day.
